Flipped
by Science and Food
Summary: "Do it N0W, Evans," he said firmly. "Do…what, James?" she asked."You know what." Was he laughing at her? "You have to ask me out." Merlin, Lily thought, how did I get myself in this position?
1. An Unexpected Confession

_**A/N:**__**Picture creds to this story to "missy riyae"**_

_**I don't own HP. Just playing with the characters. **_

**Songs:**

**1) _Back in Your Head-_**_ **Tegan and Sara- **I just want back in your head..._

**2) _Comme des Enfants _****by Coeur de Pirate- **"Et moi, je t'aime un peu plus forte"

**3) Quelqu'un m'a dit by Carla Bruni- **"Quelqu'un m'a dit que tu m'aimes encore"

Chapter 1: An unexpected confession

"I heard that Judy wants to confess to James that she likes him," Mary told Marlene while buttering a piece of toast. Lily's head snapped up away from the book in front of her as she dropped the piece of toast in her hand.

"WHAT? I mean, Judy likes Potter…uh…James?" Lily asked, barging into the conversation. Marlene, Mary, and the group of girls around them all stared at her before they burst out laughing.

"YOUR FACE! (You have a little butter on your chin….and a few crumbs in your hair…what did I tell you about doing your homework while eating, Lily?) Haha, but really, I thought EVERY0NE knew!" Mary laughed, glancing pityingly at Lily. Lily rolled her eyes, while grabbing a napkin and fixing her reflection in the back of a spoon.

"You know I never listen to your gossip unless it actually concerns me or one of us…and besides, how will Ada take the news?" This comment was followed by more silence as Lily's girlfriends stared at her as if she were crazy, or lost, or pathetic, or a combination of the three.

"Lily, honey," Marlene said patting her on the shoulder, "James and Ada broke up two weeks ago…didn't you see James looking miserable the first few days after the split? You must have noticed something when you two were doing rounds."

"But honestly even if you didn't, literally EVERY0NE was talking about it for the past two weeks- it is pretty big news that James Potter is single again," Emily piped in. The girls all around Lily simultaneously sighed dreamily before glancing around at each other and laughing again. Lily ignored them while wracking her brains. James HAD been acting differently during their rounds (he had been exceptionally quiet and moody…)

The odd fluttery creature inside her chest began making its presence known as what Marlene had said fully sunk in. James Potter was single, for the first time since their sixth year.

James. Potter. Single. The creature thumped inside her chest.

While the girls continued gossiping, Lily scanned the Gryffindor table in search of the Head Boy, finally spotting him walking into the Great Hall.

She watched as James along with Remus, Sirius, and Peter trudged in and took their seats.

* * *

><p>Sirius barked a short, strained laugh at the joke he had just finished telling and immediately after cringed at the sound. Peter forced a chuckle. James smiled swiftly before his face lost all signs of humor again. Remus ignored Sirius completely and began scanning the skies as he piled bacon onto his plate.<p>

James helped himself to a heaping plate of eggs and toast while pouring him a glass of pumpkin juice on the side. And then he too joined Remus in scanning the skies- he knew he wouldn't be able to scarf down his breakfast until after the post had arrived.

After what had seemed like ages a swarm of birds flocked into the Great Hall. James looked up immediately, trying to spot his snowy owl among the hundreds of birds. His owl landed with a THUD next to his plate and obediently held out her foot so James could grab the letter tied there. He did so eagerly, and then let out a sigh of relief.

"Mum and dad are fine," he told Sirius. "They send you their love, and hope you will be joining us for Christmas. You guys as well, Moony, Wormtail". He continued to read his letter while he began masticating three pieces of toast at once. His owl began helping herself out of his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"Tell them I say thanks, Prongs," Lupin said as he unrolled a co_py _o_f The Daily Prophet_ his own owl had just delivered. He quickly skimmed the pages, while Sirius peeked over his shoulders at the paper.

"There was an unprecedented muggle-attack at _Black Horse Lane_ two nights ago- Ministry aurors succeeded in catching two of the six culprits, though two aurors were injured in the process. There's been a dementor attack -two witches, both escaped unharmed. It is suspected that the Giants were indeed the cause for last week's earthquake. Ministry says they are doing the best they can under the circumstances, though no other new arrests for that case…nothing else new really."

"Which bastards did they catch yesterday? Please tell me at least one was a dear relative of mine," Sirius said gruffly, though his tone had a hint of humor in it.

"Looks like you are out of luck today, Padfoot," Remus said, laughing. "Well, that's that," he said as he placed the newspaper beside his plate. Sirius grabbed the paper from him to start on his daily crossword puzzle. By this time, James's own plate was nearly empty since he had shoveled five pieces of toast and three eggs into his mouth.

"Slow down Prongs, or you'll choke yourself!" Remus warned. James swallowed before responding.

"Practice early today- our Quidditch match is coming up soon, gotta be prepared. I'll catch you guys later," he said, hastily tossing his letter into his bag, scratching his owl's head in farewell, and hurrying out the hall.

* * *

><p>"Earth to Lily," Mary said, poking her cheek.<p>

"Huh?" Lily looked around. Marlene and Mary were both staring at her, knowing smirks on their faces. The other girls around them were engrossed in their own conversations, leaving Lily a moment alone with her best friends.

"Someone has been zoning out on a certain boy's face," Marlene said snarkily, grinning.

"What? Uh…no, I—"

"Oh, she's got it bad…." Mary said shaking her head.

"Got what?"

"Love bug," Marlene and Mary said simultaneously before giggling. Lily could feel her face flushing unflatteringly to match the color of her hair.

"You guys, don't be ridiculous, I have no idea what you are talking about," she replied snottishly, grabbing her book from off the table before attempting to stand. Marlene grabbed her shoulder to restrain her.

"LILY! WHERE ARE Y0U G0ING? Don't be such a spoil-sport, we were just teasing," she said.

"Huh? 0h yeah, I know, its fine - I just forgot that I have to ask Potter…I mean James, something about rounds tonight."

"Uh…"

"I'll catch you guys later," she said, shaking free and nearly sprinting to follow James' retreating figure.

* * *

><p>James hurried out the door and ended up stepping on something rather fluffy and wriggly...a cat that seemed to have appear out of nowhere.<p>

"HOLY mother of hippogriff!" James yelled, veering to the left as the cat screeched and shot away from his foot. He looked more closely at the screeching animal, expecting to see Mrs. Norris, but was instead surprised to find Lily Evans' orange cat hissing at him.

"Oh, it's you. you stupid pesky animal-D0N'T SCRATCH ME. You know, your owner has been going crazy searching for you- convinced that some monster in the forbidden forest had you for a meal. I told her no creature, magical or otherwise, would want to eat such an ugly piece of meat, but that only seemed to upset her further. I would go find her if I were you. By now I'm sure you are smart enough to understand me, so don't just—"

"JAMES, YOU FOUND GIZMO!" A voice behind him screeched. James spun around in surprise as a delighted-looking Lily Evans ran towards him from the entrance to the Great Hall. He ignored his speeding heart beat.

"Uh…yeah, hey Evans, I just stumbled upon her," he said awkwardly as Lily picked up the vile creature, which immediately began purring contentedly. James rolled his eyes.

"Glad I could be of assistance. Well, I have to run, I'll see you later," he said, turning around and heading for the double doors ahead of him.

"Oh, hold on a minute, James, wait!" she called, running forward, the cat still cradled in her arms. "I actually came out here because I wanted to talk to you about something," she said.

James turned back around again with an air of impatience. "Alright, sure, but could you make it quick? I'm almost late for practice," he said though not unkindly, glancing at his watch.

"Oh, uh, sure. I just wanted to ask you if, well…" A few seconds ticked by. Lily's gaze flitted from James' eyes which were betraying confusion and impatience, to his robes, to the cat in her hand. "Um. So, how are you doing, James?" Lily finished lamely, her face again flushing to match her hair.

"Urgh, Lily, I'm captain- I can't be late unless this is something really important."

"No I know you're right, we can talk later." She said, turning away immediately relieved but somewhat disappointed. James stared after her.

"No, it's okay Lily, you can go ahead."

"But, you'll be late," she retorted, turning around to face him again nonetheless.

"It's fine, Prewett will cover for me."

"W-well...alright, sorry, well, I mean…urgh, let me try again. So I JUST heard that you and Ada broke up recently, and I know this might be a little late, but I just wanted to check and see if you were doing alright," she said bravely, finally looking him squarely in the eyes with what she hoped was a look of deep concern for his well being.

"Oh...Er, jeez Lily, that's really nice of you. Yeah, I'm fine," he ran a distracted hand though his hair. "To be honest, we'd been rocky for ages- it was just a messy break up. But aside from that, I'm fine, really," he said shooting her his thousand watt smile—teeth and all. Lily stared up at him, her almond eyes open wide, her mouth slightly ajar, not making a sound. She looked dazed. James shifted uncomfortably- was there something stuck between his teeth? "I really appreciate your concern, though. Thanks," he finished, before making to turn again, eager to run away from the awkward situation. Lily snapped out of her daze.

"Wait! There's something else that I wanted to ask you," she blurted out. James turned back around, barely suppressing his annoyance. He quickly surveyed the hall and checked that they were still alone.

"Yes?"

"I mean, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but… do you like Judy?" she blurted before she could contain herself. James blinked at her, looking increasingly exasperated.

"What? Judy-Judy Abbott? I think she's nice. Yeah, she's a nice girl, I like her. Are you asking if I…_like her _like her?" James asked. Lily nodded."Then no, I don't," he shot her a calculating look as he said this. "But _why_ are you asking?"

"Oh," Lily said, relief flowing through her. "Well, I just heard something about you and Judy, is all, and was just, ah, wondering," she finished pathetically. She felt heat rushing to her cheeks as one of James' eyebrows traveled further and further up his forehead. With all her information gathered, Lily was preparing to make a hasty escape. As if he read her mind, James spoke.

"Okay, not so fast Lily- I am officially late to practice," he said, glancing at his watch, "thanks to you, and now I want some clarification. Is that really all you had to ask me, or is there something else on your mind that you would like to discuss with me? Because you've never taken gossip so seriously...well, at least gossip concerning me."

"Um no, really, that's all - I mean I just wanted to see if you were okay after the whole Ada thing, because I think, as a concerned frie— as someone who sort of cares about you, I think it's probably best for you to move on," Lily said.

"It's good to know you _sort of _care for me, Evans," James said, an amused glint in his eye.

"I didn't mean—"

"Anyway, you want me to move on to Judy?"

"No! I mean. Uh, not unless you_ like_ her? But you just said you didn't. So. I don't think she seems like the girl for, er, you James," Lily finished lamely, ready to throw herself off of the Astronomy Tower. James stared at her incredulously.

"You were the one who brought her up! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you sounded jealous, or something," he said. Lily opened her mouth to protest.

"_Jealous_?" She screeched, outwardly indignant. "0f _what_?" James groaned and rolled his eyes.

"I don't know of _what_ Lily! I'm just telling you what you sound like," James said. Lily cut him off.

"I am NOT jealous of Judy, James. Since you _clearly_ just said you don't like her," she scoffed. And then she froze. James blinked. And blinked again.

"So, what you are saying is," he paused. "You _would_ be jealous if I _did_ like her?" Lily didn't respond. She could not look at him. She was tempted to run for her life, but found she was unable to move her feet. She nervously clenched her arms together—

"OUCH!" Gizmo hissed fiercely at the pressure being put around her before shooting out of her owner's arms and out of sight. Lily gazed at the scratches on her arm, silently thankful for a new distraction.

"That's the first time Gizmo has scratched _me_ in ages!" Lily exclaimed trying to sound shocked instead of relieved. With an impatient sigh, James grabbed her arm, ignoring her squeak of protest as he examined her cuts.

"Your "cat" has given me worse scratches than these- you'll live. Now talk, Evans." Lily searched desperately for a way out of the awkward situation. Seconds ticked by, and James continued to stare at her with that scrutinizing gaze that made Lily feel quite exposed. She noticed how his hand still gripped her arm tightly, and how to her dismay her whole arm was tingling because of the contact. James was now definitely standing too close for comfort- she could feel the heat radiating off his body. She felt sweat forming at her temples and under her arms. And Lily could see no way out of this situation.

"Fine!" she said, shaking her arm free of James and taking a few steps away from him. Ignoring the look of hurt that flashed in James' eyes, she said, "I really would rather tell you this at a different time, but like you said, I've already deterred you and you are already late, and I honestly do owe you an explanation for how I've been acting." Lily's heart began to race as she mustered up all the courage in her body.

"Look James, we've been through a lot together these past few years- actually since our first year at Hogwarts, but I feel like we've been through, uh, better, I mean, good times since, you know, 6th year, " she brushed her hair behind her ears as she continued talking _very _quickly half hoping he would miss the words if they came out at a rapid fire rate, "since Alice and Frank's wedding the summer before our sixth year, actually, though actually that was the start of the getting-better-ness, I guess..." She knew she was rambling, but stumbled on, her eyes fixated on James' throat. She avoided locking gazes with those brilliant eyes behind his glasses. Though she couldn't see his eyes, she was aware of his single eyebrow travelling higher and higher up his forehead.

" And I feel like, I've gotten to know you a lot better, almost as a good friend, except that I, well, I don't really want to be _friends _with you," Lily winced. "Oh that's not what I meant! I mean I don't want to be just frie-what I meant to say is that after all that we've been through, all the times you've helped me out of sticky situations- there was the time you helped me out of that trick step, the number times you've helped me out in Transfiguration…and in History of Magic…and in Defense Against the Dark Arts, the times you've listened to me vent in rounds , and made me laugh when all I feel like doing since Voldemort's gained power is...well...I mean, after all those times, I've started to notice that I sort of, maybe, er, feel differently about you." Lily paused and looked into James' eyes despite herself. His expression was unclear, though she thought he looked a little abashed. But she couldn't decipher the other emotion she was seeing played across his face.

"Lily…what?"

"I know I don't really show it...but I really admire you for how brave you've been in the face of all the Voldemort stuff, and how you are handling it better than anyone else I know. And I think it's so...wonderful how you basically adopted Sirius as your brother, how you lie through your teeth for Remus, how you help Peter get through his work no matter what," Lily was staring at James's hair as she spoke, words tumbling at the speed of lighting out of her mouth. She decided it was better to have her hair covering her face after all. "I like how you get so excited at the prospect of Quidditch, even after about 16 years of playing the stupid game, I get so frustrated every time you run your hand through your hair like you just did, honestly, because I sometimes want to…myself…and I can't believe I just said that out loud, oh my goodness, I should really, really, REALLY go now but before I do I just wanted to tell you that…" she began backing away, slowly, her gaze still directed downwards, her face burning and tears of humiliation threatening to spill from her eyes.

"I think I like you, James Potter."

Now she turned on her heel and prepared to sprint out the entrance hall. Before she had even taken two steps, she felt a hand clamp down on her wrist, and turn her body around.

"Lily, look at me," he said. Lily cringed. James sounded…angry? Before she mustered the courage to do just that, the doors leading from the Great Hall burst open and out streamed hundreds of students on their way out from Sunday morning breakfast. Lily jumped and tried to free herself of James' vice-like grip, but this only caused him to press harder.

"We're not done talking," he said, something like anger still evident in his voice as he proceeded to drag her through the crowd, ignoring the loaded looks he was receiving from the student body. She did not protest though all she wanted to do was run in the opposite direction. What had she just done? She cringed as James opened the door to an empty classroom and led her in before closing the door behind them. They were alone once again.

He turned to face her.

"Now, _whose idea was this_? If it's a sick, twisted joke, or a dare, I have to say, Lily, you're not the person that I thought you were."

After that dramatic statement Lily couldn't keep quiet.

"It wasn't a-"

"I must have misheard because it sounded like you, Lily Evans, who told me once that you would rather date the _giant squid _than_ ever g_o on a date with me,"— Lily cringed here –"just said that _you _like_ me. James P_o_tter_."

"Is that true?" Lily honestly couldn't blame him for his anger now. Without looking at him, she nodded. He barked a short laugh.

"Damn it, look at me, Lily," he hissed. Surprised, Lily looked up against her better judgment. She looked straight into those brilliant and emotive eyes which were shining with anger, but also humor, and finally that same indescribable emotion… He moved until he stood right in front of her, towering over her.

"Do it NOW, Evans," he said firmly.

"Do…what, James?" she asked.

"You know what."

"Uhm." She looked down. James, with a gentle hand, gripped her chin and nudged her to look up at him again. And now she could barely see any traces of the anger in his eyes. They were instead filled with humor. Was he laughing at her?

"You have to ask me out." His lips were twisted into a crooked smile, and his eyes danced.

_Merlin, _Lily thought, _how did I get myself in this _position_?_

**_A/N: There you have it! And reviews/ comments are love =)_**


	2. To be fair to James Potter Pt 1

**A/N- I thought I'd dedicate chapters to back story of sorts, flashes of moments I think are important in James and Sirius's lives. I hope to come back to all of them through Lily...but anyway, won't spoil much more than that! It was initially supposed to be one chapter but then as I wrote it, it became extremely long. I just decided to split it. Here is part 1!**

**This is random, but has anyone read Harry Potter Wiki? God the stuff on James and Lily JKR released was **_**extremely **_**depressing. I did my best to follow the book facts/what-JKR-revealed-facts (I hate the movies. Even the James and Lily in this story will look different from the movie cast, since I think all the movie directors failed at casting…But I digress.) And since most of it was so depressing, I'm **_**trying **_**to put it in a more positive light. Anyway, on with the story!**

**Songs - **

**1) _The Winner is- _Little Miss Sunshine Sountrack**

**2) _Be Ok- _Ingrid Michaelson **"I just want to know something today..."

**3) _For the First Time- _The Script **"Just now got the feeling that we're meeting for the first time" (Gods, I love them so much)

Chapter 2: To be fair to James Potter (Part 1)

Now, in reality, Lily Evans' part of this story only truly begins the summer before her sixth year at Hogwarts. But if we were to start this story at precisely that spot, we would be doing a great injustice to one of the other primary characters of this story. So to save James Potter from this injustice, we could technically start this story in _his _fourth year at Hogwarts. Or, to be completely and one hundred percent fair to James Potter, we can start this story farther back than that, and commence back when James Potter was a young boy.

That would perhaps be best. Hopefully you will agree in the near future.

* * *

><p>Even when James Potter was young, his parents were extremely busy.<p>

James' father was a tall and thin man. He had messy grey-black hair coupled with golden- brown eyes that created a striking combination. He had a square jaw, a long nose, murky skin, and stubble under his chin. He was not handsome, but that certainly did not stop him from being a charmer.

Mr. Potter had worked under the Ministry of Magic's Department of Law for a very long time. Since Mr. and Mrs. Potter had to try many years before they could get with a child, Mr. Potter was nearing the age of retirement when James was born. By then, he had saved up quite a fortune for his son, which he added to the already hefty Potter- family inheritance.

One of Mr. Potter's favorite pastimes was reading (which explained the room-turned-into-a-library inside his house). He also loved reading out loud to his son, teaching him Quidditch in their extensive backyard, and harassing those who did not follow the law (he loved his job). He had a bad habit of carrying a worn Quaffle in his hand and tossing it (even inside the home, which is why he cast more _Repair_ocharms than he could count). Above all, Mr. Potter loved spending time with his wife—he was still infatuated with her and head over heels in love.

Mrs. Potter was one of those women who had an infinite capacity for love. She was one of those women who seemed to have been put on this earth to become an excellent mother— she was patient, nearly always jovial, responsible, caring, and empathetic. She frequently called others "darling," and "dear". It broke her heart when she learnt she could only have one child so late in her life. But to be fair, her son James kept her hands quite full.

Her figure was ordinary. She was rather heavy, in a curvy sort of way, and her back had developed a hunch reducing her imposing height to a more average one. But Mrs. Potter was renowned for being extremely pretty all her life because she of her extremely charming face. It was full, vivid, and heart-shaped. Her extremely large, dancing hazel eyes seemed to take up half her face. She had flawless skin. Finally she had a dazzling smile she bestowed upon nearly everyone. Her lovely face was framed by short red hair, which only became flecked with white and grey in the last few years of her life.

While her large eyes were lovely, she did have extremely poor sight. She cast a seeing spell on her eyes every morning—she was quite an expert at it, for Mrs. Potter was a healer. She showered every single one of her patients with so much affection and care that all her patients adored her. She loved her job, almost as much as she loved being a mother, wife, and a cook. Like her husband, she made a hefty sum off her job. She often used this money to buy her son toys, gifts, and books.

James never once in his life doubted that his parents loved him with all their heart. They spoilt him whenever they were around. They showered him with affection, love, wisdom, and care.

But here we come to the one large problem in James Potter's otherwise-happy home life. His parents were _barely ever around. _

Naturally James' parents never left him truly _alone. _He had two house elves that were always around to watch over him. But one cannot really call house-elves wonderful company when they are busy cleaning a large house, doing the laundry, and other such household chores. So naturally, six year old James Potter was often left by himself for hours at a time.

And he was bored.

During one of his bored walks around the house, he stumbled upon his father's extensive library.

He picked up a book. Opened it. Skimmed the cover. Glanced around and was met by silence. Sighing, James began to read.

And he read. And read.

And read some more.

For what else was there to do?

His mind would wander after a page. He would get up. He would scout for some food. He'd play hide-and-seek with the house elves. He would get on his kid broom and ride around the yard He would explore the house- peek around his parents' room and go through his mother's interesting clothes. He would walk over to his neighbors' home and charm his neighbors with his looks, talk, and smiles. Mrs. Chang worked at home and was nearly always around to give him some wisdom, advice, scones, and cucumber sandwiches (she always had some lying around the kitchen). And then, inevitably, James would wander back into his father's library once more.

He started with the small books. Books listing spells A-B. The uses of the spells, how they had been invented, and the best way to cast them. He read about their latin/greek roots, he mouthed the words to himself, imagined their wand movements, waiting for the day he could properly execute all of them. Sometimes, by accident, he would get the spells to work. And end up soaking the floor with water, shrinking his shoe, or accidentally blowing up his father's desk. He would always get Hobbs and Merry to clean up for him without telling his parents about his accidental bouts of magic. With his father in law he learnt early on that there was no REAL way to detect if a child was performing magic in a magical household, and he took full advantage of this knowledge.

By the age of eight, he had moved on past the A-Z spell books. He read books on the history of magic, books on law, books on magical creatures (centaurs and werewolves among others), books on jinxes, and other such enchantments. He inherited his surprisingly good memory from his mother, and remembered a fair bit of what he read.

His parents were nothing short of impressed by how much James had managed to learn about the magical world and proudly showed off his prowess to all their friends. Everyone cooed over the young and brilliant James Potter.

James entered Hogwarts at the age of eleven with a hefty knowledge of all things magic, already set to be one of the brightest wizards of his year.

He also _knew _how adorable and smart he was. So yes, he did enter his first year of Hogwarts with the small little character flaw of arrogance.

* * *

><p>Now poor Sirius Black's story does not have quite the nice beginning James Potter's does. There was never a day that Sirius <em>didn't <em>doubt whether or not his parents loved him. His father was tolerably good to him when he was sober. But he would come home many times, riled, and take out his anger at the world on his eldest son. He many nights dragged his son out of bed in order to do so. Sometimes he went for Regulus. Sirius couldn't bear the thought of his four year old brother being beaten and often took the heat for him. This only seemed to anger his father further.

His mother seemed to turn a blind eye on the situation. Once, when he was eight, Sirius was receiving a particularly bad beating from his father. In pure self-defense, he grabbed the bottle of firewhiskey cradled in his father's hand and slammed it against the back of his head. Mr. Black fell to the floor with a thud, unconscious. Sirius was sure he had escaped the rest of his beating for the night. That was until his mother turned her wand on him. She was too proud of her place in the Black family to let anyone jeopardize her relationship with her husband. And her eldest seemed to be trying to do just that. And she hated him for it.

She began to turn her wand on him whenever he misbehaved. Whenever he picked up muggle habits. Whenever he annoyed her (which was often). Perhaps she didn't realize it, but she was quickly turning Sirius Black against everything that his family ever stood for.

Sirius sought refuge from his mother's wand, his father, and their house-elf in the attic of the house. He escaped to the landing of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, where piles and piles of his parents' old school books were stored.

By the time Sirius Black prepared to enter his first year of Hogwarts, he had ploughed through nearly four years of Hogwarts material in books. He had also developed an extreme hatred for his mother, his father, Firewhiskey, and for most of the Black family. His aunts and uncles (save for a select few, who would eventually be listed as traitors on the Black family tree anyway) all adored his mother for her pride in all things pure-blood and all things Black.

Sirius Black by the age of eleven was independent, haughty, a loner, and _extremely _bright. He was also extremely handsome, a fact that he was not quite aware of, since no one fawned over him as they did over James Potter.

* * *

><p>Ah, the fateful day when those two boys met on the Hogwarts Express.<p>

One was charming, already clever enough to know how to make others adore him with words, jokes, Quidditch skills, and the solid moral principles his mother and father had drilled into him. The other was a loner, eager to latch onto a friend who accepted him as soon as the Sorting Hat roared "Gryffindor" over his head. Eager to be accepted by _someone_, since no one had ever truly accepted him before.

A week into the school year, every single teacher had written off James Potter and Sirius Black as two of the brightest boys of their year. Loud, yes. Boisterous, yes. Belligerent, maybe. Arrogant? Undoubtedly. Annoying? A little. But also _extremely _bright. Another fact that the teachers noted almost instantly- James Potter was born to be a leader.

James Potter and Sirius Black quickly befriended the only two other boys who had been sorted into Gryffindor their year- Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.

Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew had shared a compartment on Hogwarts Express and had instantly clung to each other in a mutual need for friendship. Peter accepted Remus so easily when _no one_ had ever accepted Remus before, that Remus quickly grew to adore Peter. Pete _was _rather adorable with his cute round eyes, squeaky voice, and small stature. Peter in turn clung to Remus for he had an air about him which suggested that he knew exactly what he was doing in any given situation. When Remus Lupin was sorted into Gryffindor, Peter quickly hoped for the same fate. He could be considered brave, right? Apparently, the Sorting Hat agreed.

Both Remus and Peter were extremely gratified by the friendship of the two boys who shared their dormitory. It began with James, who was convinced that all Gryffindors should stick together (at least the boys, for James had no interest in girls back then). He forced Remus and Peter into conversations about Quidditch, family, food- things eleven year old wizards talk about. He included them in all his adventures (even if they would have opted out of participating in some of them) and quickly learnt to love them.

As nearly everyone learnt to love him.

All the teachers had immediately learnt to expect nothing but the best from him. (Except perhaps Professor Slughorn, who had had an ugly row with James' grandfather years ago- this did not stop him from making James a regular Slug Club member, however. After all, he was a Potter.).

Upperclassman learnt to love him, when the first dozen dungbombs he and Sirius set off in the Dungeons cancelled their Double Potions period.

Older girls cooed and laughed over James' cheeky remarks.

When he made the Quidditch team his second year as a _chaser _(most chasers were at least third years) and proved to be a ruddy good Quidditch player, he developed quite a fan following.

And as James learnt to make his way through Hogwarts at night without getting caught within the first three months of school (with the help of his father's invisibility cloak, and often with advice from Sirius Black and Remus Lupin), his pranks became better and better. There was the time he and his three best friends succeeded in painting the entire Slytherin wing of the school red and gold. The time they trapped Mrs. Norris in a particularly large trophy. The time they stumbled upon a strange statue, and coaxed the portrait of The Pretty Maidens to give them the password that led them down a passage straight to Hogsmeade. The Acid Pops and Cockroach Clusters they passed out the next day to unsuspecting first and second years caused quite the uproar.

The "Marauders" pranks made people laugh. And laughter was so wonderful and so rare during those dark years that barely anyone had the heart to tell James and Sirius to stop their pranks even when they occasionally went too far.

James Potter, along with his gang of friends, quickly rose to be one of the most popular boys at Hogwarts.

Never mind that all the Slytherins hated him. James hated them back. He had absolutely no tolerance for anything related to the Dark Arts, something quite a few Slytherins were affiliated with.

Never mind that some first years grew terrified that they would be used as target practice for the new spells James discovered and wanted to show his friend Sirius Black (a spell amusing from a bystanders perspective, perhaps, but not necessarily from the receiving end).

Never mind that the red-haired girl James had met on the train hated how he teased a particular greasy-haired Slytherin. James and Sirius, after their rocky start with old _Snivellus, _enjoyed tormenting him in particular. They _accidentally_ caused his potions cauldron to blow up in his face when they _tripped _and dropped extra ingredients into his cauldron. They _accidentally _hit him with the stunning spell in Defense Against the Dark Arts. They _accidentally _tripped him on his way out from class.

Never mind that the pretty red-haired girl became increasingly annoyed with James and Sirius as their pranks on Snape became crueler and crueler.

Everyone else adored James Potter.

And all the adoration was quickly getting to James' head. To be fair, how could it not?

* * *

><p>But even so, to his credit, James remained fundamentally a <em>nice <em>guy_. _He cared so much about his friend when his mother got ill every month that he simply _had _to find a way to cure Remus and his family of their strange illness. He and Sirius did not rest for months, obsessively trying to figure out what was bothering their friend and how they could cure it. It was rather difficult when Remus kept dodging questions about the illness that afflicted his mother and made turned him so pale at times. And rather odd. And rather shifty.

After months, James and Sirius began to put two and two together. He and Sirius tracked a lunar chart. They shoved Remus into a closet with a boggart. And things began to become clearer and clearer.

One night, James confronted his friend. He was twelve.

"Remus, let's talk," he said as soon as his friend entered the dormitory.

"Huh? Hey James, what's up?"

"How was your mum, Remus?" Sirius asked casually, eyeing Remus warily.

"Uh, I mean, she'll live," he said bravely. He rubbed at the bags under his eyes and there was a limp in his step as he dropped his trunk next to his bed.

"Huh. I hope she's alright. Did you take her out last night? Sometimes fresh night air can help people," James said. Sirius nodded in agreement.

"Um, no, I didn't. That's a good idea—"

"Last night was a real pretty night. Clear. Beautiful stars…gorgeous full moon…" Sirius cut in airily, following Remus with his eyes. Remus had been about to pull off his black robes but as soon as the words "full moon" left his friend's mouth, he froze.

And that was all the reaction James and Sirius needed.

"Oh dear God," Sirius whispered, his eyes widening.

"…What?" Remus managed to choke.

"You're a werewolf, aren't you, Remus?" Peter asked quietly, looking up at his friend with fear and concern. Before Remus had time to do or say anything, he felt a body slam into him. His first instinct told him that his friends had attacked him in fear, attacked him in hate. His heart nearly shattered into a thousand pieces before he realized…James Potter was holding on to him for dear life, his stringy arms wrapped around Remus' wiry frame, his head resting on Remus' shoulder.

"I read about how much it hurts when a human has to transform into a wolf…Oi, Lupin, it's not too terrible is it? I'm so sorry, Remus, I'm just so sorry." He let go and peered into Remus' face with teary eyes. Remus stood stock still and speechless.

"Way to keep something this big from us, Lupin," Sirius grunted sourly. His eyes were guarded, but he too walked forward and wrapped his arms briefly around Remus. "I'm sorry too," he whispered before letting go. Peter was last to step forward, but he threw himself at Remus.

"Of course it doesn't change anything- you are still one of the nicest guys I've ever met- I would have flunked out last year without your help," he squeaked, and meant every word that he said.

"It doesn't change anything, Remus, if that's what you are worried about. You're still our roommate and still our friend. We've got your back," James said. Sirius and Peter nodded.

Remus Lupin stumbled backwards until he thudded against his bed. He fell onto it with a thud. It was only then that his three friends noticed the tears streaming down his face.

"Tha-tha-thank you guys so much," he sobbed in his squeaky twelve-year-old voice. "I don't imagine I can _ever _repay you for what you guys have just given me," he choked, as his three friends gathered around him. Sirius patted his back, Peter handed him tissues, and James ruffled his hair.

"You have nothing to thank us for. I just wish there was something we could do to help…"

"You already have helped," Remus blubbered. James waved a hand at him.

"No, something to help with the pain…"

* * *

><p>As James entered his third year, he became extremely engrossed in finding a way to help his best friend out with his "furry problem". See? Nice guy. In fact, he and Sirius had been devising fewer and fewer pranks, engrossed as they were in trying to find a way to help their friend. They were devoting most of their time to researching in the library (unlike Peter, who used their research time to try to catch up on his schoolwork). It was on one such run to the library that Iris Brown called James Potter over to her table.<p>

"Hey Iris, what's up?" James asked, grinning at her.

"I was just wondering… are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" James nodded.

"Of course, how about you?"

"Well actually, James, I was just wondering- are you going with anyone particular?"

"Do you mean, like Sirius, Remus, and Peter? We always go together," he said matter-of-factly.

"No, I meant—well, I was just wondering if maybe you would like to go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend," she said breathlessly, blushing prettily. James blinked.

"Huh?" he managed to spew, looking like he was just hit in the head.

"I mean, you don't have to if you already have plans," she said, already beginning to look dejected. James shook his head.

"Oh, uh, no, I mean, I'd love to go to Hogsmeade with you!" he said. After all, what thirteen year old boy doesn't jump at the chance to go on a date with a pretty girl? Iris beamed.

"Really? Great!" she said. James grinned at her.

"Yeah, awesome. Well, I'll see you this Saturday then!" he said, saluting her before hurrying back to his table. He resisted the temptation to skip.

"Sirius, I just landed a date with Iris Brown!" James exclaimed, his heart racing. Sirius looked up at him, surprised.

"Is that why she called you over? Well, nice Prongs. That's cool." He paused, and pondered for a second. "Except she seems really dim," he said bluntly.

"Oh well, I'll confirm that at Hogsmeade this weekend, then," he said.

"What? HOGSMEADE? Did you forget we had plans? What _is _this James? We were supposed to impress Rosemerta's pretty daughter together, and loot the joke shop for all it is worth!" He said loudly, while the librarian screeched at him to shut up before she threw him out. James laughed silently, but had the decency to look ashamed.

"Sorry mate. If it makes you feel better, you can come with us if you like, and keep us company," he offered, in a mock earnest voice. Sirius glared at him and muttered something James didn't quite catch under his breath.

"So, did you find anything good, by the way?" James asked, switching topics.

"Nothing for Remus- but check out this new spell I just discovered," he said with a grin, pointing his wand at a small second year who was browsing the library shelves.

"_Densaugeo_." The second year did not quite seem to notice that his teeth were becoming larger and larger until his front teeth had grown past his chin. Upon noticing his beaver teeth, the twelve year old shrieked in horror and ran out of the library. He nearly tripped at the new added-weight to his body as he sprinted out the door. Sirius and James burst into a silent fit of laughter. James high-fived Sirius delightedly, ignoring the momentary twinge of pity he felt for the boy.

"_Did y_o_u tw_o_ just d_o_ that?"_ an irate looking Lily Evans walked over to their corner of the room, her distinct bottle-green eyes flashing. She had been browsing the shelves beside the younger boy. "Attack that first year?"

"Well, _actually, _I think he was a second year," Sirius mused with mock-seriousness. Lily glared at him.

"_Are you_ _seriously kidding with me?"_

"Don't get your panties in a twist, it was just a laugh- Madam Pomfrey will fix him up in no time," James said exasperatedly with an eye-roll. She turned her angry glare on him.

"God, you two are just mean _bullies," _she hissed angrily. James and Sirius looked at each other in mock horror.

"Oh no Sirius, it seems as if Miss. Goody-Two-Shoes doesn't quite approve of us," he said in a pompous, overly concerned manner. "What _ever_ shall we do?"

"It's time to turn over a new leaf, James," Sirius said in a deep, earnest, voice. "I can't live without her approval. Life would be just horrid without it, don't you think?

"God, life without Lily Evans. No one to yell at us, rat us out— incidentally, that _was _you who told that prefect that we er-_accidentally _hit Snape with that jinx, wasn't it?— no one to preach goody-two-shoes doctrine to us…that would be _so_ horrible, wouldn't it, Sirius?" James was unable to keep the laughter out of his voice. Sirius guffawed.

"Shut up!" Lily said through gritted teeth, throwing them one more nasty look before turning on her heel and stalking away. James and Sirius exchanged glances before bursting into another fit of laughter.

Wiping tears of mirth away from his eyes, Sirius sighed.

"Anyway, what were we talking about before?"

"Hmm...I think we were talking about you keeping me company on my date. It'll make you feel less abandoned," James mocked Sirius, laughing again. Then suddenly, he froze.

"Hey Sirius- what if _we_ kept Remus _company_ when he transformed?" James asked. Sirius stared at him.

"Well, gee, that's a great idea James! Except I think you are forgetting one thing. If we tried, he'd _attack _us and then _eat_ us." James frowned.

"There has to be a way we can keep him company…what if we're not human when we're in the same room as him?" James asked.

"Not human? Are you suggesting _we_ become werewolves for him? I love Lupin and all, but _not that much," _Sirius whispered. James sat in silence for a few minutes.

"What if we didn't become werewolves…but, I dunno…something else he isn't a threat to…maybe some other animal? Werewolves are only dangerous to humans, aren't they?" Sirius opened his mouth to shoot the idea down, but then he closed it again. And stared.

"Huh," he said, finally. They stared at each other before both simultaneously jumping up and tearing through the library for books on Animagus transformations.

* * *

><p>Full-length black wizards' robes were extremely useful at hiding human figures. Students wore them every day of the week at Hogwarts except on Saturdays and Sundays. And since Hogwarts remained relatively chilly except for perhaps in May, most people opted for baggy sweatshirts, sweaters, and jumpers along with loose jeans for their weekends. People only ever seemed to dress up for Hogsmeade weekends.<p>

James met Iris Brown in the Entrance Hall for his first ever date with a girl. Iris had curled her caramel-colored hair for the occasion, and let it loosely fall down her back. She was dressed in a pink form-fitting scoop neck sweater on a pair of tight jeans.

James' first thought when he saw Iris standing there, was that Iris was…well, _small_. She looked down right _puny_ in that pink form-fitting sweater.

Perhaps it was the shock of seeing her without her robes, but James was suddenly afraid to put his arm around her. That had been his initial plan- say hello, head out to Hogsmeade, and casually put an arm around her waist (the way his father did with his mother on evening strolls). But suddenly James was sure he would break Iris' fragile bones if he so much as wrapped a finger around her tiny midsection. Suddenly unnerved, James turned on his heel and ran to find Sirius. Never mind that Iris had just seen him and was waving him over frantically.

He bumped into Sirius, Remus, and Peter in the jam packed Entrance Hall. They all look surprised to see him.

"Hey James, aren't you supposed to be on a da—" Remus began.

"I can't do this. God, Iris is tiny! Did you guys know she was _that_ small? She _is _thirteen, right? Not seven? I'll probably break her if I put an arm around her waist," he gulped as he said the last word, "so I obviously can't do that. Do I hold her hand then? My hands get really sweaty when I hold someone else's for too long. I can put an arm around her shoulder, but I'll probably break her that way too. Guys, help me," he choked. Remus and Sirius glanced at each other before they burst out laughing. Peter shot him a look that said he, at least, sympathized with him.

"Guys!" James protested, now seriously looking on the verge of a meltdown.

"You know, if this were anyone else but you, I would find what you just said really cute," a voice behind them said. Fourteen-year-old Lily Evans was clearly not heading out on a date. She was bundled under five layers of clothing and looked rather like a walking marshmallow. Her dark red hair hung loose around her shoulders and almost blended in with parts of her Gryffindor scarf.

"Evans! You can help me! What do I do?" James asked desperately. Well, desperate times called for desperate measures. She appeared to give his dilemma some thought before an idea struck her. Lily smiled genuinely at him (that was the first time he saw her smile _at_ him), pushing a dimple into her right cheek and crinkling her eyes at their corners. James was quite suddenly aware of his quickening heartbeat.

"Hold her hand, but wear some gloves," she said with a slight giggle. James blinked.

"Genius! Thanks a bunch, Evans," he said, grinning at her (Lily's heart sped up a little- that was the first time he grinned _at_ her_)_. "Oi Remus, can I have your gloves?" Remus shook his head, wiping tears out of his eyes, before passing the gloves off his hands to James. Thanking him, James turned to sprint back to Iris, but remembered something.

"Uh, Lillian, could you not tell anyone what you just heard? You know, reputation and all," he said awkwardly, running a hand through his hair.

"Of course," Lily said wryly. Her smile was quickly fading. She was already wondering why she had _willingly_ talked to James Potter.

"Thanks," he smiled at her again before sprinting off. Lily shrugged and walked off, coldly shouldering past Sirius. She finally spotted her crowd of girlfriends. It was minutes before James' smile stopped flashing in front of her eyes.

**A/N: PHEW that took a toll on me, awkward transitions and all. Thoughts? Comments? Things I should change? Reviews are love! And thank you to all who favorited and what not- you guys made my day =)**


	3. To be fair to James Pt 2Pretty in Pink

**A/N: C**ontinuing ******dear James's story- n**ot t**o w**orry th**ough, we'll be back t**o Lily in ab**out tw**o chapters. **************************************************N**ow, with**out further ad**o-here it is!********************************************************************

**************************************************S**ongs-****************************************************

******************************************************_1)_************************************************************_She's s_**_o l_**_ovely_ by Sc**outing F**or Girls **************************************************************************************************************

"I don't know how we'll make it through this...I think that you are lovely, I think that you are beautiful."

**************************************************************************3) **_N_**_oticed_**** by**** Mute Math******************************************************************************

"You are reaching something that is beating, I can't believe I never noticed my heart before..."

**Chapter three: To be fair to James Potter (Part 2-Pretty in pink or maybe otherwise)**

"God, I _hate_ the color _pink," _James said with a shudder. Sirius threw him a strange look. They were sharing a table at the back of their fourth-year Double Potions class in the dungeons. Remus and Peter were huddled over their own potions at table beside theirs.

"Our potions are supposed to be green. _All_ the materials we are using to make this stupid potion, in fact, are green. _Where _are you getting pink from?"

"The girl sitting in front of us- the Slytherin, what's her name? Anyway, her hair-tie. It is a disgustingly offensive shade of neon pink."

"Ah," Sirius said, glancing at the girl in front of them, who had in fact tied her hair in a rough pony tail with said offensive object. "I'm not particularly fond of the color either. You know me, I myself prefer some BLACK," he said with a cheesy grin. James snorted as he added frog skin to the contents of his cauldron. "But where is all the _anim__osity_ coming from?"

"Remember that disastrous date I had with Iris Brown last year? When she forced me to take her to Madam Pudifoot's place? That was the worst experience of my life_. _Everything there, and I mean, _everything, _was freaking _pink_. Pink teacups, pink cupcakes, pink _sugar cubes. _And urgh— I remember even Iris's stupid _sweater _was pink. By the way, who goes out in only a sweater when it's negative ten degrees outside?" James ranted as he savagely chopped at his basil leaves. Apparently, the memory of that day still stung. "Now I can't even look at the color without wanting to punch someone."

"James, that happened at least eight months ago. Maybe it's time to let it go and move on with your life. I know you were in love with Iris and all—"

"Don't even _joke _about that," James hissed. Sirius laughed. He pulled out his wand from the pocket of his robe and surreptitiously pointed it at the Slytherin in front of them. He muttered a spell under his breath. The girl's hair tie immediately turned a dull shade of brown. James, who had been watching to make sure his friend didn't hex a girl just because he didn't approve of her hair accessories, sighed in relief.

"Nice, man," James said with a grin. "Thanks! Should have thought of that. Actually should have thought of that _last year…" _Sirius ignored James. An idea had just popped into his head.

"Hey, you know who would look _really_ good in pink?" he asked James, with a devilish grin on his face. James caught on immediately. He sat up straight in his chair and grinned back at Sirius.

"And how are we doing today, boys?" James and Sirius jumped out of their seats as their Potions teacher waddled up to them. How they had missed his rather prominent presence was a little beyond them. "Hiding in the back as usual, I see, where I have no idea what you two boys are up to. Let us see how your potions are coming along, eh?" He peered first into James's and then Sirius's cauldron, before giving them both an approving nod and a smile.

"Not perhaps the _exact _shade that Ms. Evans' potion and Mr. Snape's potion are up front, but an excellent job none-the-less. Now you, Mr. Pettigrew," Slughorn continued, wobbling over to Peter's grey concoction. Sirius scowled as soon as he was out of earshot.

"Git. Our potions look exactly like Evans' and Snivellus's," Sirius said darkly, peaking over a few heads to make sure, despite himself. "He loves them so much, Ol' Sluggy embellished theirs in his mind by the time he got back here."

"Who cares?" James asked nonchalantly with a shrug. "What we were talking about it much more important." He said, grinning. "So what exactlydid you have in mind? Pink skin or pink hair?"

As the class filed out at the end of the lesson, James tried to catch sight of a certain greasy-haired Slytherin. Severus Snape and Lily Evans, who sat in the front row of their Potions class, had a head start on James and had already made their way out into the hallway together. Barging through the crowd and knocking over Slytherins and Gryffindors alike, James and Sirius made their way outside the classroom in time to catch sight of the two rounding a corner.

"I'll talk to you later then, Sev," Lily was saying in a bright voice.

"_Do it now_," Sirius whispered to James. James pulled out his wand. He pointed it at the pair and began muttering a spell under his breath just as someone quite suddenly rammed into him from behind.

"OI, watch it!" James said, rounding on a poor stumbling Peter Pettigrew.

"Sorry James!" Peter squeaked. "Remus and I were just trying to catch up to you and then this Slytherin pushed me…"

"Whatever," James said gruffly before turning back around to see if his spell had been properly executed. His eyes widened.

"Oh bloody hell," James whispered. Sirius burst out laughing. Remus Lupin, who had just made his way out of the classroom stared first at James, then at Sirius, and then finally at Lily Evans' lone retreating figure. He blinked.

"Uh, James…what did you do?" he asked.

"Bloody hell," James repeated. He broke into a jog, trying to catch up to Lily before she headed into the Great Hall. "I was trying to hit Snape with a spell, but then he rounded the corner, and I had already started the spell, and then Pete ran into me, and the spell…OI, LILLIAN EVANS!" But Lily was too far ahead of him, and as a class of sixth-years burst through another door in the hallway, they were quickly separated by a dense crowd.

"Looks like goody-two-shoes turned into quite the rebel, eh?" Sirius said, catching up to James. He was hooting in laughter. "She must be pretty thick though, how could she not have noticed that she's—"

"She was reading over her paper, that's how," James said . "And, well, everyone rolls up their sleeves for Potions. Or else she probably would have noticed her pink sleeves. Or the stares she is getting right now."

"If we don't stop her before she gets to the Great Hall, McGonagall might just kill her, and then _she_ might just come and kill _me. _Guys, I'm too young to die," James said with a whimper. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"What, are you afraid of a _girl, _James?" Sirius asked.

"She's a redhead. I have every right to be scared. Have you _seen _Muriel Weasley?" Sirius rolled his eyes again and then began scanning the halls.

"Oh, this is the hall that has the hidden door isn't it?" Sirius fought his way through the throng before glancing around; sufficiently securing that nobody was paying any attention to him, he quickly shoved an innocuous looking part of the wall. The wall gave way to allow Sirius to squeeze behind it. James, Remus, and Peter glanced around before following Sirius down a dimly lit passage. The four boys made their way up and across Hogwarts in record time and pushed through an opening right next to the Great Hall, literally bursting through a wall and giving Lily Evans, who had been one step short of entering the Great Hall, quite a fright.

"Oh!" She shrieked, dropping her parchment and placing a hand over her heart. "What are you _doing_?"

" Evans, we were looking for you! You see, we thought you'd get into trouble going into the hall like that, so we wanted to stop you," James said bluntly.

"Actually, it was mostly James. I was all for letting you run in like that," Sirius contradicted, smirking, his gaze dropping downwards.

"Like what?" Lily asked blankly. She glanced down at herself. And then she froze. And then hell broke loose.

"FLIP— JAMES POTTER, why are my robes HOT BLOODY PINK? MY Robes are supposed to be—BLACK!" She yelled, rounding on Sirius.

"_What did you do?" _She shrieked, glaring at the four boys in front of her. James had the decency to look a little ashamed. He was also feeling a little uncomfortable. Not only did the bright pink robes look absolutely _horrible _under Lily Evans's auburn hair, her steadily flushing face seemed to be doing its best to transform her into a red-tinted spectacle. Her bright green eyes provided the only source of contrast on her whole persona putting James in mind suddenly of Christmas.

"Look, I'm really sorry Evans, it was an accident—"

"Why me?" She asked bluntly, with a desperate edge in her voice. "What did I ever do to you? You know what, forget that for the moment, just- FIX IT NOW!" James looked helplessly over at Sirius who was still grinning, and then at Remus who looked a little at loss for what to do. He shook his head.

"Uh…I'm not exactly sure that I know the spell that'll make your robes black- I can make them dark brown?" He suggested while backing away slowly as Lily began to advance towards him. She had a deadly look in her eyes.

"_Potter_," she hissed. "If you don't find a way to fix this right now, I'm going to—" she broke off, and gulped. She suddenly looked quite close to tears. Her lower lip was suddenly trembling. Her eyes welled up.

Now, there _are_ a handful of fourteen year old boys who are capable of comforting a girl who is distressed and close to tears. But only a very small handful. James Potter was not one of those lucky few.

But feeling horribly guilty, James had to try and stop her before she actually began crying. His more sensible friend Remus in the mean time pulled out his Charms textbook and hastily began searching for a proper spell to return the robes to their original state.

"No no no no- don't cry! It's alright Evans! We'll find the spell to fix your robes up in a jiffy. Remus is looking it up right now, see?"

"You just had to ruin my day even more, didn't you, Potter?" Lily said, scrunching up her face to stop tears from falling. She did not quite succeed. "First an owl decided to use _me _as its target for bird droppings this morning, so I had to run up and change before class started and I ended up _late _to Arithmancy, which cost me five points, and then I had to receive my paper from the other day which I _failed._ I spent four hours working on that paper! Four hours! Wasted! And then Moaning Myrtle had to show up in my toilet and wouldn't stop wailing in my ear until I was absolutely _horrible _to her so that she would leave me alone, but I've been feeling guilty all morning for being so awful to her, and now, you've dyed my only good pair of robes PINK. I'm a red-head! I can't wear pink because I look bloody awful in pink, and now you are saying you can't fix my robes! My robes are SUPP0SED T0 BE BLACK N0T BR0WN!" Lily said this all so quickly that James barely caught half of what she said. He was making shushing noises in an attempt to calm her down.

"Look Lily, I'm sorry that you've had such a horrible day. Really I am. I can see it sucked. Um. Arithmancy is hard? And, Moaning Myrtle doesn't deserve your…um, niceness, she's horrible," James stumbled over his words in guilt and mild panic. "And uh, you look uh…fine in pink?"

"FINE?" Lily wailed. Her eyes blazed.

"Sorry, not fine! Uh, really pretty! You always look…pretty. But you even manage to look pretty in pink!" Lily made a scoffing noise but did not resume wailing. James took this as a good sign. He nodded to show her he meant what he said. " Really! You're the only red-head I've ever known who looks good in pink," he continued. Sirius was snorting with barely smothered laughter next to him. James surreptitiously kicked him.

"Here, Lily," Remus cut in, stepping forward. "I'm just going to try this spell now. Is that okay with you?" Lily nodded while hastily wiping at the tear tracks on her face. Remus pointed his wand warily at her long black robes and hesitantly muttered a spell under his breath. A small ink-like stain appeared on Lily's hot pink robes. It began to spread, creeping over the fabric and spreading over it. It slithered and snaked over the entire length of Lily's robes until she was covered in proper black Hogwarts robes once more. Lily looked down at herself.

"Oh, thank you Remus!" Lily said, beaming at him with effusive gratitude. He smiled back at her in return.

"No problem. And sorry about the…well, chocolate always helps on days like these," he said wisely. Lily nodded. She glared once at Sirius who had not stopped grinning, spared a glance in James's direction before turning on her heel and speeding into the Great Hall. She did in fact reach straight for the chocolate dessert on the table.

The four boys were left in the Great Hall. James, for the first time in his life, was uncommonly silent.

"Well, that was a good laugh," Sirius said, breaking the silence with a grin.

* * *

><p>"Will you stop playing with that snitch?" An irate Sirius asked. James ignored him.<p>

"Won't they need the snitch for the next game, James?" Peter asked, watching eagerly from his bed as James caught the snitch with ease before letting it float above him again.

"Nah. Snitches have flesh-memory Petey- they need a new snitch for the next game. Read Quidditch Through the Ages. Good book: very informative."

"James, come on. Let's go exploring! I'm sure there are plenty of secret passageways that we have yet to discover around this school."

"That would be quite amazing- I feel like I've visited every nook and crevice of this entire school with you guys," Remus said sensibly, glancing up from his school textbook. "Outings past curfew, midnight escapades around the castle, "adventures" in the Forbidden Forest, entire weekends spent exploring hallways and staircases and wings…I don't think there is a part of the castle left."

"Remus, this is Hogwarts. There _has _to be something around here we haven't seen yet. And I've been aching to have another look at the "Come-and-go" room, as the house-elves call it," Sirius countered. James sighed.

"Sirius, I'm just not in the mood tonight."

"Fine, how about we work on the Animagi transformations?" Sirius pressed stubbornly. Peter winced, still sore from his last attempt at his own transformation. James sighed again. He shot an apologetic glance at Remus.

"I'm sorry, just not tonight. Tomorrow, definitely." Remus nodded in understanding. He also looked somewhat guilty.

"I told you guys it was silly of you to be trying this anyway- it is extremely dangerous—"

"Put a sock in it, Lupin." Sirius grunted, his eyes not leaving James. "Alright spill it, Potter, what's gotten into you tonight?"

"Nothing," James sighed, leaving the Snitch to fly around the room instead of swiping it. Sirius pulled out his wand.

"_Accio Snitch_," he said and the snitch zoomed into his waiting palm.

"Alright, you asked for it James," he said in a dangerous voice. He picked up a stray sock that was lying near his trunk and stuffed the Snitch inside. Next he made his way to James' bed.

"You asked for it," he repeated. James belatedly realized what he was doing.

"Sirius- don't you dare—UMPF." He said as Sirius landed on him and began to tackle him. He was on a larger scale than the James, who was quite scrawny, and used this to his advantage.

"BLOODY HELL, GET OFF ME- STOP IT SIRIUS, I MEAN IT. SIRIUS. SIRIUS BLACK, OW THAT HURT YOU SON OF A—"

"Language, Potter," Sirius said, baring his teeth in a grin, a knee in James' back and a hand twisting his arm back rather painfully. "Now, spill. What's bothering you?"

""I'll spill if you LET GO OF ME," James said, his voice muffled since his face was stuffed into his pillow, glasses askew.

"Fair enough," Sirius said easily. "But, if you try to get out of it, I'll hex you this time," he said before releasing James.

"As if you could," James said darkly, sitting up and rubbing his arm. He settled his glasses once again. "Thanks for the help Rem, Pete," he said sarcastically. Peter squeaked an apology though his expression clearly said he was glad not to have gotten on Sirius's bad side. He had on many occasions been on the receiving end of Sirius' roughhousing and did not relish the experience.

"Well, I'm curious as to what is bothering you as well, James," Remus said. "You're not acting like yourself."

"Yeah well," James replied, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced nervously at the three friends around him as if to gauge their reactions before he blurted out, "I'm feeling guilty about this afternoon. You know…making Evans…cry," he cringed at the last word.

"WHAT? _THAT'S_ what is bothering you?" Sirius yelped. Remus looked at his friend with a pensive expression.

"I mean, you didn't really seem to mind when you made Devan Patel cry when you hit him with that gluing jinx….or when you made that first year cry when you shrunk his—"

"You are never going to let that go, are you?" James said wryly, cutting Remus off.

"That was completely horrible, and you know it. How would you feel if your….shrunk out of the blue?" James looked uncomfortable at the thought. "But anyway, the thing with Lily wasn't even ALL your fault- you weren't even aiming for her, and she was just having a bad day," Remus said. James didn't look comforted.

"I know, but I feel bad." Sirius looked up at the ceiling in exasperation.

'This is _Lily Evans _we're talking about, isn't it? The annoying goody-two-shoes who always rats us out to Prefects, yells at us for laughing in the Common Room too loudly, who has turned her female hormonal wrath on us so many times I think her face will be stuck in that grimace soon- THAT Lily Evans?" Sirius gestured erratically as he spoke. He ended with a snort. "I don't know why you are bothering."

"Doesn't justify making her cry…" Sirius looked at James strangely. Peter valiantly tried to come to the rescue.

"Maybe James means… Lily gets annoyed at us a lot, but in general she's really nice. She helps me out all the time in Charms since we're near each other in that class…" he trailed off as Sirius threw him a look. Remus carried on for him.

"She's one of the only people who has the decency to be nice to Snivellus- I'm not his biggest fan, but I do feel right sorry for him sometimes." He ignored Sirius's noise of protest. "Lily is one of his only friends." Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, she's a nice witch. Fantastic. Doesn't stop her from being an annoying pain in the-"

"I think I feel bad because Lily is usually so nice to everyone that everyone is usually nice back to her. It sort of looked like she took what happened today as a personal attack on her. Like she thought it were her fault, like we attacked her on purpose. We didn't even get to tell her the spell _wasn't_ for her. I dunno, I just feel bad," James finished lamely and somewhat uncomfortably. Talking about feelings is another thing few fourteen year old boys do with ease.

"James, why do you care so much? You're turning out to be such a good egg," Sirius said managing to sound exasperated, sarcastic, and affectionate at once. Remus shot him a skeptical look out of the corner of his eye. "How about this-we'll find Evans tomorrow and tell her she wasn't the intended target at all. Will that make you feel better?" James blinked at his sheets, blank-faced. He finally sighed and pushed his glasses up his face.

"I guess," he said uncertainly.

"Hey James," Peter interjected suddenly. He looked nervously at his friend, his eyes wide with curiosity. "You don't feel bad because you, you know…like, I mean _like _like Lily Evans, do you?" James, Sirius, and Remus all stared at Peter, a little shocked by Peter's bold statement. And then what he asked finally sunk in. Sirius and James glanced at each other before they simultaneously burst out laughing.

"HAHA, THAT'S A GOOD ONE PETIE…IN LOVE WITH LILY EVANS, MERLIN." Sirius hooted, laughing. James laughed along with him.

"I know she's _nice _but she's also annoying as _hell, _Pete," James chortled. Sirius fell back against the headboard of his bed, grinning lazily.

"And she's not even that fit, Petie, c'mon- Jamesie here can do so much better!" James blinked mid-laugh. He paused and looked thoughtful for a second.

"Wait, really? I thought she was _sort_ of fit…" Sirius snorted.

"Are you kidding? No way. If you want a fit gal, look at Lisa Turnpike- _there's _a fit-y if I've ever seen one."

"Oh, she _is _fit," James agreed readily.

"She's got more curves than the muggle-roads on my motorcycle ads," Sirius said eagerly. James gave him a strange look.

"What? I started ordering muggle magazines to piss off my mum. I want a motorcycle. It looks like good fun."

"You should really stop going out of your way to antagonize your mum, Sirius," Remus said, although he looked amused. "And for the record, I heard a conversation between Lisa and her friends the other day. Let's just say that _she _thinks you are pretty fit as well, though I personally don't see the charm." Sirius threw a pillow at his face which Remus didn't quite succeed in dodging.

"Ah, Lisa's not really my type. I mean, she makes darn Hogwarts robes look good with that figure—do you think she got hers tailored tighter on purpose?— But she's a slag. And I mean, her best friend is Berta Jorkins- a moron if I've ever seen one."

"I'm proud of you for having standards mate," Remus said. Sirius glared at him.

"You wound me, Lupin," Sirius said.

"At least Evans has got smarts in her favor though," James said suddenly, looking thoughtful. Sirius and Remus looked over at him. Remus raised an eyebrow, and Sirius just looked shocked.

"Are you still thinking about Evans? God, maybe I _should _be worried- do you like her, seriously, James?"

"No! No, I don't like her, honestly," James replied. He apparently believed what he said as well. He pulled at the threads on his comforter. "I was just saying you know- she may not be as fit as Lisa, or Iris Brown, or Linda Chung, or whatever, but at least she's got a brain, you know? And she's…I mean, she _is_ pretty. Her eyes are sort of amazing, aren't they?" He said, still staring down at his sheets. And then as if he just realized what he said, he looked up at his mates in horror.

"They are very unique," Remus said cautiously, staring at his friend in a calculating manner.

"James…" Sirius began, looking disconcerted. For some reason the idea of his best friend liking a girl seriously disconcerted him a little. It did not fit into any of the scheming plans he had in mind for their future years at Hogwarts. It was also rather annoying that his best mate apparently seemed to have a soft spot for the girl who seemed to make it her mission to yell at them over some petty misdemeanor or the other at least once a week.

"No wait, what I meant was….no— Sirius, guys, I definitely don't like her. I think she is _really _annoying and bossy, and needs to get off her high-horse once in a while. She's more a stick in the mud than Remus here," he said. Remus shot him a look.

"I just…" James paused. "I just think she reminds me a little of my mother, that's all," he blurted finally. Sirius blinked in surprise. He opened his eyes to shut down the idea immediately. But then he closed it again.

"Huh. Actually, you know, I do see that," he said thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Remus agreed. "The red hair for one. They are both really pale..."

"Yeah," James agreed. "And…"he hesitated before continuing. "Obviously not the same eyes, but they look similar for some reason…."

"Same expression?" Remus mused. James nodded earnestly. "Yeah, that's it!" He said.

"Uh, James?" Peter interjected timidly. "So you are _sure _you don't like her?" James looked annoyed.

"Jeez Pete! What do you want me to do to convince you?"

"No, no, uh James….it's just that," he looked nervously around at his other friends. Slightly flushing, he continued. "My mom had my Aunt June over one time. I was sitting there and er—accidentally—heard their conversation. My Aunt June said that she read in a magazine that women apparently liked men who remind them of their fathers. And since my Uncle Alfred apparently acts a lot like my Grandpa used to before he…you know, croaked…she said it was true. Well, anyway, she also said that…men usually fell for women who reminded them of their mothers, too," he finished, cringing slightly into his bed.

"Well," Sirius said. He was wide-eyed. "Everyone, listen, and listen good. I vow here and now in front of you all – you lot will be my witnesses— I vow that I shall never marry."

"Sirius," Remus said with an eye-roll.

"No, really. I'm not even going to _l_oo_k _at any women— well, unless I have absolutely no chance with her," he added as an afterthought. "Like those witches in _Witch Weekly_. If I _do_ have a chance of actually getting to know a woman, apparently I'll only like her if she's like my hag of a mother."

"Sorry Sirius," Peter squeaked.

"I DON'T LIKE LILY EVANS," James yelled.

"If that's true Pete, then any future love interest of mine will probably be ridiculously clumsy. But nice as well, I guess. " Remus mused with a sigh. "I shouldn't trust her to watch after our children if they go wandering outside at sunset, though." Suddenly his face turned very serious. He looked years older. "Of course I don't actually want to be with any girl. Ever. I'd never put anyone through the horror of dating a rabid monster instead of a normal healthy bloke."

"Stop being so hard on yourself, Remus," James said sharply. He threw a pillow at Remus' head. "Lupin? Hey Lupin." Remus ignored him, staring gloomily up at the ceiling. "REMUS." James finally yelled. Remus looked reluctantly over at James. "I don't befriend monsters, just remember that. Sirius, Peter, let's get some Animagus training done, shall we?" James said with new determination, hopping out of bed. Sirius followed with a grin on his face.

"Excellent."

Peter whimpered but pushed himself out of bed as well.

James pushed all thoughts of a certain red-head out of his head for the moment.

* * *

><p>He couldn't get her out of his mind.<p>

James lay awake. He had stayed up late into the night and had only retired since Peter was unable to hold himself up any longer from exhaustion. If James had been honest with himself, he would have admitted that he had been tired out hours ago. The early-morning Quidditch practice, the day's work, and then finally the overwhelming toll the Animagi training took on his body completely drained him.

Despite all this, poor James Potter found himself in the curious predicament of being unable to sleep. He lay awake in bed with a wandering mind. The conversation he had with his best mates earlier that night kept replaying in his head. The conversation about a certain red-head.

James had never really spared Lily Evans a second thought, unless he was forced to. What did he really know about her?

She usually sat in the front of all their classes together. He first noticed this when he had been trying to scout out Snape's seat in Potions their first year to drop frog's spawn in his bag. He caught sight of her flaming red hair next to his.

Each time he surveyed a classroom he entered, he would catch sight of her flaming hair as he made his way to the middle or back of the classroom. And then, nothing. That was part of the reason he didn't know much about her- he barely saw her in class at all.

But wait…

He did see her. Quite often.

She sat very close to him during their meals in the Great Hall. She always sat right across from the plate of lemon meringue pie- his favorite dessert- during dinner. When he reached for it every night she was always there, he realized. He remembered random snatches of her dinner conversations that he caught as he scarfed down his dinner. He remembered occasionally commenting on those conversations with her friends, two of whom he was good family-friends with as well.

She often rolled her eyes at his corny jokes and wordplay. She pulled a face whenever he said things that seemed to bother her. (It'll take him a little longer to figure out what exactly annoyed her so much.) He occasionally made her smile, the smile that showed all her teeth, pushed a dimple into her right cheek, and crinkled her almond eyes in their corners. James thought when she smiled it was twice as powerful since she smiled with her eyes as well. Just like his mother. Very occasionally he managed to make her shout in laughter- maybe a handful of times in four years. Whenever he had managed it, his stomach had squirmed interestingly. James thought it was with smug satisfaction…

She sat next to the flavored jam that James loved to slather on his toast during breakfast. She always asked Remus how he was feeling on days when he looked particularly pale as soon as she saw him entering the hall. She eavesdropped when Remus read the day's news out loud, her expression either blank or unusually grave. Not quite as pleasant-looking as when a smile lit her face.

"Bloody hell," James muttered into thin air, turning over his side and staring at the curtains surrounding him. "Stop being such a mushy girl," he told himself. Thinking about feelings and pretty faces is another thing that most fourteen-year old boys will tell you they are uncomfortable doing. "You can't like her, James Potter, since she's bloody annoying."

And that was true. Lily could be extremely annoying. He remembered being put into his first detention since Lily couldn't shut her trap about how dueling with a first year Slytherin at midnight was a bad idea. He didn't even get a chance to, since McGonagall overheard her in the halls and put him in detention instantaneously.

He remembered wanting to show off that new spell to Sirius that he saw a sixth year using- it was supposed to be a laugh, but he didn't really have anyone to practice it on. Snape, the slimy, nosy, git who was…well, in the wrong place at the wrong time, had seemed like the perfect target. But then Lily had to shriek over his hex until a Prefect caught him and awarded him another detention.

He was annoyed over the way she charmed Slughorn into liking her the first day of class, with a big grin and a cheeky response on Muggle-born talents.

He found it _extremely _annoying the way she, Mary MacDonald, Marlene McKinnon, and her other girlfriends always giggled. Loudly and quite obnoxiously. Giggling coupled with an occasional squeal or shriek.

He found it annoying the way she hung onto Severus Snape's every word, and looked at the slimy git as if he were…actually a human being. Not a creepy stalking _thing_ that needed to learn to mind its business and stop asking questions about Remus and his monthly disappearances.

But then again, in a twisted way, he found her attitude refreshing. Remus was right, she was one of the only people who was nice to Snape— not that he deserved it, but still.

She was nice to everyone. She helped that first year find a book in the library. She let the gamekeeper Hagrid _and _his dog Fang cuddle her cat (or in Fang's case, lick it with senseless joy). She rarely said anything bad about anyone; she always had a kind word or two to spare. She helped others in class whenever she understood the material being covered, or had worked out the spells being taught. Which was often

Well, she _was_ smart. No, smart wasn't it exactly. She just studied like a possessed maniac. It was disconcerting to watch. And annoying to be around- she became _extremely _temperamental whenever she was disturbed. Especially when she was studying History of Magic (James learnt the hard way that was her least favorite subject. To be fair, she had no prior knowledge of any wizards or any magic, unlike many pure-bloods and half-bloods in school).

And annoyingly, she was _most_ temperamental with him and Sirius. The ugliest her behavior got with everyone else was a quick glare at an obnoxious voice in the library, or an eye-roll aimed at Amos Diggory's back. With them, it was somewhat-short-_almost_-harsh words. This was the equivalent of having frequent f-bombs thrown their way from anyone else.

She only ever yelled at all when she was yelling at _them_, when they were uh…roughhousing. It annoyed him to no end, hearing her yell. Her voice became exceptionally high-pitched and grating. James thought that was why her voice rung in his ears for so long. _Why don't you leave him alone?... He hasn't d_o_ne anything t_o _y_o_u...You guys are just mean bullies…Don't make fun of the poor thing!...Would it kill you to deflate your head a little? You know what you are James Potter? You're arrogant _….

Girls. Girls in general were annoying, James concluded. He punched his pillow, and made a sincere effort to go to sleep.

Sleep.

Yes, blissful sleep.

Blissful sleep, haunted by a pair of green eyes.

Oh, wait.

A pair of green eyes.

Green eyes that were swimming with tears. A pretty face turned into a red-tinted spectacle. Horrid pink robes. Green eyes.

Green eyes that smiled in that familiar, yet unfamiliar way. James' stomach squirmed.

_Merlin's soggy left buttock, _James thought. _It's going to be a long night._

**_A/N: Phew! **************************S**_****o I s**_****ort **_****of wasn't t**_****o****_****_****o sure ab**_****out h**_****ow****_******_******_**_**** this chapter w**_****ould turn **_****out...s**_****o what did y**_****ou guys think?****_******_******_************ Let me kn**ow? **_********And thank y**ou thank y**ou again f**or all the supp**ort y**ou guys have given this s**o far with the fav**orites, reviews, and etc =) Y**ou guys r**ock!**************************_**********************_******_********_******_******_****************************_**

**_************************************_**************************Peace, and remember- reviews are like chocolate-covered strawberries!**************************_************************************_**


	4. Year 5: Obsession

**A/N: Hello Everyone! I apologize in advance, but this isn't a new chapter~ I had to major edit one, and thought it worked best when combined with another. If you've read these two already, you can read the re-edited version, or just wait for the next update which should be coming along soon! Sorry for any inconvenience caused!**

**1) Shark in the Water by V.V. Brown**

"_Wouldn't cause any harm, just want you in my arms, I can't help myself…"_

**2) Obsessed by Mariah Carey**

_"Why you so obsessed with me, boy I wanna know…finally found a girl you couldn't impress, last man on the earth still couldn't get this?"_

**3) Nothing by The Script**

"_They say a few drink will help me to forget her, but after one too many, I know that I'll never…_"

* * *

><p><strong><em><span>Ch 4: A final tribute to James: 5th year Obsession<span>_**

As James and Sirius boarded the Hogwarts Express, Mrs. Potter made ready her parting speech for her only son.

"Now, James, I don't want any more mischief out of you," she began.

James rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious, James. If I hear that Hagrid caught you sneaking out into the Forbidden Forest again, I'll be _extremely _angry." Sirius snorted at the idea of Mrs. Potter being angry, but hastily turned his snort into a cough.

"And _that goes for you as well, young man," _she added turning her brilliant eyes on Sirius. "It's too dangerous! And I'm not talking about the usual centuars and werewolves—"at this, neither Sirius nor James could prevent himself from emitting a hacking cough.

"This man, Voldemort, has followers everywhere, and I don't care how "pure" your blood is, no one is safe from that…that…_bastard_. Please, stay in school- you'll be safe with Dumbledore around. James, please, I'm asking as your mother."

"Mum," he groaned again, although his face had turned grave when she mentioned Voldemort. Mr. Potter's friend from work had recently been discovered under a ruin of their former magnificent home, the acid-green Dark Mark floating above. He and his wife had both been muggle-born.

"You take care as well, alright?" he asked, leaning out the window and kissing his mother on the cheek in a rare display of physical affection (especially for a teenage boy).

"Don't worry about your father and me, we'll take care of ourselves," she said loftily, grabbing Sirius and pecking him on the cheek swiftly before the Hogwarts Express began to pick up speed. "And be good! The both of you!"

They waved, and in a few seconds, Mrs. Potter had disappeared from view.

James and Sirius grinned at each other. "Let's find Remy and Pete, shall we?" Sirius asked. James made a face, as the two of them began to make their way down the Hogwarts Express.

"Urgh, Remy is a horrible nickname."

"I know," Sirius said glumly. "But I mean, how on earth are you supposed to shorten a name like _Remus?" _

"Like Sirius is much better."

"WHAT? Are you serious? No, I'm serious, Sirius is so much better."

"Point seriously taken."

As they walked on, in search of their other two friends, a few 6th year witches passed them and stared blatantly and rather hungrily at Sirius. Tall with smooth black-hair, flawless pale skin, a straight nose, and deep-set grey eyes, Sirius was undoubtedly a handsome wizard, a fact that he seemed completely oblivious to. He barely glanced at the girls staring at him, although even James noticed that they were all very pretty. He shot James a look as if to say, _what's with them?_

James rolled his eyes. He was no Sirius Black in the looks department, but...

"Hey ladies," James said in what he thought was a charming fashion with a cocky grin, ignoring Sirius's snort of disbelief next to him. The girls finally turned their eyes on him. James, expecting them to roll their eyes, was surprised to see one smile coyly at him, while the other two walked away giggling. James's gait quickly turned into something of a strut as Sirius guffawed. Before he could comment, however, he stumbled across Peter sitting in a compartment with Marlene and Alice.

"Petie!" Sirius yelled, running into the compartment and thumping his little friend on the back.

"James! Sirius!" Peter squeaked, a delighted smile shining from his watery eyes.

"Hey Pete," James responded, grinning and joining Sirius. Then he looked at the familiar girls across from him.

"Mind if we join you ladies?" James asked, trying out his grin again. Pretty Marlene McKinnon smiled back (was James imagining it, or was her smile brighter than usual?). James knew the Mckinnon's extremely well, as all old wizarding families tended to know each other.

"Of course not," Marlene said, shifting her long limbs so that James had more room to stretch his legs. Neither she nor Alice beside her had changed into their robes. Marlene wore a shirt with a large picture of her favorite wizard band printed in red, while Alice's wore a baby pink top covered in flowers."Alright, Alice?"

"I'm fine, thank you James," she said, her round face lighting with a smile.

"How's Frank?"

Marlene looked suddenly thunderstruck.

"NO. JAMES, DO NOT MENTION FRANK." Alice hit Marlene, rather hard.

"…What?" James asked.

"She won't shut up about him," Marlene explained.

"Ah of course, the two lovebirds," James said, smirking. "Where is old Frankie anyway?"

"The prefect's compartment," Alice replied, her face shining. "He's Head Boy this year!"

James smiled.

"Congratulations to him!"

Sirius, who had been talking to Peter, turned suddenly.

"Wait…Frank Longbottom is Head Boy this year?" he said, grinning devilishly. "Excellent!"

Alice looked suddenly angry. The look didn't suit her face very well. She got up, pulled out her trunk, and began shuffling for her robes.

"Just because he likes you, doesn't mean he's going to go easy on the two of you this year. Besides, I'm still a prefect, and if he doesn't stop you from breaking rules, then I will." She finally located her Prefects badge in her trunk as Sirius's grin broadened.

"Worked real well for you these past two years, hasn't it?" he said, smugly.

"Oh, shut up." Alice replied. "I'll go change in the bathroom and then I've got to go to the Prefect's compartment as well. Imagine what an impression I'd make if I were late!" She hurried out. Marlene promptly propped her feet where Alice's behind had been.

"So, Marlene," James asked conversationally. "How many feet did you grow this summer?" Marlene laughed jovially.

"Don't be sore just because I'm taller than you." Sirius guffawed but James ignored him.

"It's a known fact that we Potter men only have growth spurts when we are sixteen," he said. "But I still think we might be the same height."

"You're on," Marlene said, shooting to her feet.

They stood back to back. Sirius pushed himself up with an effortless grace, and looked down at their heads.

Just then the compartment door opened to reveal none other than Remus Lupin and Lily Evans, both decked in their school robes already.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking to see who is taller, Remus." James said whilst craning his neck.

"Oh, Marlene, absolutely," Lily said, with a gurgle of laughter. James spared her a brief glance, but then immediately had to do a double take.

It looked as if Marlene hadn't been the only who had grown over the summer. While Lily had been barely above average height at the end of the previous school year, she now looked an easy 5'7.

The new length, in James' opinion, made her look more mature, yet somehow more fragile. Her face was more angular, a look which served to accentuate her almond green eyes. Her neck in particular caught James's eye- it looked pale and long, especially in contrast to her dark red her, which now fell past her shoulders down her back in a thick mass. Even in her robes, her figure looked different- there was a definite harder pinch where her waist had been, which was in sharp contrast with the (rather tantalizing) flair below and above said waist.

James felt himself gulp.

"Uh…what's with Potter?" Lily asked.

Sirius, frowning, was the one who replied.

"I think he thinks you grew taller than him as well."

Everyone laughed, which pulled James out of his momentary lapse of consciousness.

"No way, Evans, not you too! We have to see now." Lily rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. Even if her face had angled, James noticed her cheeks still lifted to include her whole face in the smile, and a dimple shown in her left cheek.

"Oh, fine, but then Remus and I have to go to the Prefect's compartment."

A sudden silence from the boys in the compartment as all three swiveled to stare open-mouthed at Remus Lupin in their midst.

Remus, who was looking pale and rather meek as was (the full moon was approaching) lost even more color in his face. He stared down at his feet.

"D-did I forget to mention that Dumbledore made me Prefect?" he muttered.

More silence followed this statement, a silence which even the girls didn't feel comfortable breaking. And then Sirius began to laugh.

His laugh was oddly bark-like, but it was long and full, and so contagious to James, that James found himself joining in. Soon they were both clutching each other as they laughed, although poor Remus had begun to blush a steady shade of pink.

"'s not that funny," he mumbled.

"You, Alice, and now Longbottom as Head Boy- Dumbledore's lost his mind, hasn't he?"

"Well," Lily said, sounding put out. "I'm a Prefect as well, and I'm sure Lupin will join me in making sure you stay in line this year. Won't you, Remus?"

Sirius ignored her.

"Of course he made you Prefect," James said with an eye-roll. Lily glared at him.

"I think we'll be able to finish by the end of next month for sure!" Sirius said brightly grinning at James and Peter. James suddenly looked excited, while Peter gave an anxious smile. Blood had drained from Remus's face again.

"You really shouldn't be—"

"Ah, of course we should," James said clapping his hand on Remus's shoulder.

"And _you _should be in the Prefect's compartment," Alice said glancing at Lily and Remus, reappearing at the compartment doorway to drop her muggle clothes into her trunk.

"Shall we head out then?"

"Yes alright," Lily said, with one last scathing look at the boys left in the compartment. "See you later, Marlene."

"Later, Lily."

Before she turned to leave, James heard himself recklessly blurt out, "what, I don't get a goodbye as well?"

Lily glanced back at him. James had his new grin plastered on his face and had drawn himself to his full height. He was just taller than her, if barely. If his smile worked on Marlene…

There. It was there. A flicker. A momentary startled look in her eye and an uncertain swift smile back, before she seemed to pull herself together. The smile vanishing once more, she said,"Goodbye, Potter," before leaving the compartment, followed by a waving Alice, and a glum-looking Remus Lupin.

Once they had left, Marlene glanced at the three boys in her compartment with her.

"So, let's get done with the Quidditch talk right now, and then I can leave you three and find someone to kill time with who _won't _try to put a spider in my hair…or bewitch a bludger to follow me to 'improve my reflexes on the Quidditch pitch'…or hit me with a 'swearing curse' right before I have Transfiguration with Professor—"

"Point taken, McKinnon, James has been horrible to you throughout your childhood together."

James looked thunderstruck.

"Me? Those were all your ideas!"

Sirius glanced at him.

"Okay, fine, the bludger was mine, but really, Marlene, you've gotten so much better at dodging bludgers!"

"I'll bludger you this year, you just wait…speaking of which, nervous for Chaser tryouts this year?"

James snorted.

"As if."

Marlene raised an eyebrow.

"A bit cocky, aren't you?"

"Well, he's not cocky without good reason," Sirius said loyally. "He's a ruddy good Chaser."

James beamed at him.

"You know you aren't too bad yourself—"

"I'm not joining the team, mate."

"But think of how much fun we'd have together!"

"But, mate, me and Pete here are the two most important members of your fan-club. Without us..."

"But…wait, I have a fan-club?"

"Indubitably."

"How many witches are in this fan-club?"

"Including Peter?"

"Well, yes I suppose so."

Peter squealed a laugh before realizing he was being insulted.

Sirius said, "Including Peter…one."

"I want out."

"You can't choose the members of your own fan-club."

"Disband, immediately."

"Fine, I can get Marlene to join, right McKinnon?"

"No. Besides, I play, I deserve my own fan-club."

"But McKinnon, if you joined, our fan-club would be called _PMS for Potter."_

And so they talked about Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch Cup, about new students, their new classes, OWLs, and more, while eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans and Cauldron Cakes and Chocolate Frogs from the trolley. Eventually Marlene _did _leave the compartment, but Remus joined the three boys. Back in their gang of four, still laughing and stuffing their faces, the boys swapped stories from their summer.

Sirius told hilarious stories about locking his house-elf with illegal magic in the cupboard under the attic, tricking Regulus into entering a pub that he swore was the Leaky Cauldron (it wasn't- it was a muggle strip club for women), and about the news that his favorite cousin had a new daughter. What he didn't mention was how his other cousins whom he was sure were death eaters had been around the house all summer making the only Gryffindor's summer quite a nightmare, a summer he spent counting down the days until he would see Hogwarts and his best friends again….

James told them about the many parties he had been forced to attend with his parents, the pranks he had played there (including slipping many questionable substances to various important Ministry members for entertaining results), and all his Quidditch escapades with his neighbors and cousins. What he didn't talk about was Voldemort- how he had killed their family friends, the dementor attacks near his house, and his fear that his parents were growing steadily older and frailer, and there was nothing that James could do about it.

When talk turned to their plans for the school year, and how they were going to make it exciting, James felt himself tune out Sirius momentarily to think about Evans again, and the way she had looked when she walked into the compartment- her red hair and hips swinging, her face alight with laughter…the look on her face when he had smiled at her. Suddenly, James thought- _Well, maybe I don't like her like her, but I can still ask her out can't I? On a …friendly sort of date? _Thrilled by this idea, he joined Sirius heartily in planning their next Hogwarts great adventures.

It was in this blissful fashion that they finally managed to change into their robes, slip from the train, and into the Thestral-drawn carriages to Hogwarts at last.

* * *

><p>Fifth years were being given more work than ever, and it was only the first day back. Remus was stressed.<p>

"How can you even think of Animagus transformation when we have two rolls of parchment due for Transfiguration, and we need to read a book by next Charms lesson, and we need to hand in an essay on the uses of Aconite?"

"Jeez, Remus, behind on work already? It's only first day back!" Sirius said, haughtily.

"How are you _not_ behind?" Remus retorted, stung.

"Sirius and I finished Transfig during break, we both read that Charms book ages ago, and that essay isn't due for another few days. And anyway, wolfsbane, aconite, the uses are pretty obvious, if you ask me," said James, not bothering to keep his voice down. A number of fifth years around them in the common room shot him looks of mingled resentment and admiration.

"Well, I'm with you, Remus," a girlish voice chimed. James whipped around to see Lily Evans passing them, her red hair dancing behind her. "I'm retiring to the library, and it's the first day back!"

James watched her go through the portrait hole, and then hastily made up his mind.

"Hey, I fancy something from the kitchens, I'll be right back," said James, hurrying after Lily.

Sirius seemed stunned.

"WE JUST HAD DINNER!" he yelled after a retreating James, who waved quickly and then jumped out the portrait hole.

"Evans. Oi, EVANS!" James yelled, as he ran down the hall. Lily turned around.

"Oh, hello, Potter. Where are you headed?"

"Library as well."

"I thought you said you were done with all your work?"

"I am," James said, as they began to walk together. "But I wanted to grab something to read to pass the time, you know."

"Free time? That must be nice," Lily said grudgingly. James laughed. When his laughter died, an uncomfortable silence fell between them.

James broke the silence.

" So, Prefect Lily…are you meeting anyone in the library?"

Lily threw him a searching, surprisingly shrewd look.

"A friend."

"Snivellus?" Now she was glaring at him.

"Can't you just leave him alone? You won't cause trouble in the library, will you?"

"Nah, Evans," said James cheerfully, running a hand through his hair, "was just making conversation was all. I'll leave him alone if that's what you want," James said, (at the time, he really had intended to). Lily looked at him suspiciously, but did not comment. Another rather awkward pause ensued.

"So…what book was it you were going to get?" Lily asked, making a stab at a conversation, as they turned the corner of the corridor leading to the library.

"_Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_," James said immediately. Lily looked mildly surprised.

"Oh…we don't have Care of Magical Creatures work already, do we?"

"Nah, I just wanted to see if there was a particular beast in there."

"Oh…maybe I could help?"

"Well, you know where this beast lives."

She looked puzzled.

"I'm looking for the entry: 'James Potter, a handsome and fantastic beast, known to prowl the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Madam Pince shrieked at Lily to be quiet and a number of students in the library shot her annoyed glances. Severus Snape, in the back, looked mutinous as he saw Lily Evans enter the library, beaming and barely able to control her laughter, next to an extremely smug-looking James Potter.

"Potter, you are _terrible," _Lily whispered. "You got me in trouble, on the first day back!" Despite all this, she was smiling.

"Well, what else am I here for, Miss Evans?" James replied with an exaggerated wink. Lily rolled her eyes.

"I'll see you later, James," she said, smiling.

"Yes, alright." James disappeared behind the nearest shelf.

He watched from between two books as Lily made her way to the table where Severus Snape, thinner, more pallid, and greasier looking than ever, was seated. Giving her a thirty second head-start, James prowled from shelf to shelf until he was hidden behind the shelf right beside their table.

"What were you doing talking to Potter?" James heard Snape ask in a voice that seemed to be barely controlling rage.

"We just walked down from the common room together. You know, this thing between you two is getting ridiculous." Lily said, frowning. Snape spluttered.

"What _thing? _He and his cronies take to ganging up on me and jinxing me every chance they get?"

"I know what they do to you is horrible, but sometimes, Sev, you give as good as you get."

"So, you're saying I should just take what they do lying down?" he replied so quickly that it seemed to James that this conversation had happened multiple times before.

"No, I'm saying you shouldn't taunt them. Like…that spell you used on Potter last year, I saw that you know! The one where he was bleeding from gashes forming in his skin…that was Dark Magic, that was!"

"Oh, not this again," Snape muttered. Lily flared up at once.

"Yes, this again! I don't understand your… _obsession_ with Dark Magic, and I don't support it one bit."

"Lily, when you are dueling, it doesn't matter what _kind _of magic you use, so long as you get the better of the other guy," Snape muttered, although he would not meet her eye.

"Well, Potter and his lot don't use Dark Magic, and they've beaten you enough times." And then she froze. She looked at Snape, who was glaring at his book.

"That's because, if you haven't noticed, they never come after me unless it's four against one," he hissed. Lily sighed and reached for her books in her bag. As she was spreading them out on the table, she spoke again.

"Look, forget I said anything. I just have this feeling that he might…stop harassing you this year." Snape looked up, staring at Lily.

"You didn't say anything to him, did you?" he asked quietly. Lily shook her head hastily.

"I didn't!" she said. Snape looked suspiciously at her, before turning back to his books once more. They both seemed immersed in their books within minutes. James, his heart thumping inexplicably over the conversation he had just heard, was just about to escape back to the common room when Snape opened his mouth again.

"Lily," he began.

"Hmm?"

"Did you see the dates for Hogsmeade trips were posted on the walls?"

"Oh, goodness, already? No I didn't see them."

"Well…there's one coming up."

"Hmm." Lily scratched away at her essay with a quill. Snape, looking supremely awkward was twisting a handkerchief between his hands. James wished Snape would put that cloth to other use; his nose was dripping, something James noticed even from the small gap between the shelves. Snape's eyes were roving from left to right, and quite suddenly James knew exactly what he was going to do. He fought the sudden urge to either laugh or strangle Snape.

"I was wondering…if you wanted to go with me."

"Oh," Lily said, looking up at last. James could see she was trying to look as if this request was not a cause for panic. "As friends, you mean?"

Snape didn't respond. Lily blushed.

"Oh, Sev, I didn't know that you…um…well, that's really very sweet and brave of you to ask me," she said earnestly. "But the thing is…." She paused, and now her face had turned a delicate shade of maroon. James couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"It's our fifth year, and we've got O.W.L.s coming up and our careers to worry about, and we already have so much work to do, and it's only the first day back! And I just don't want to make life more stressful and difficult by thinking about anything except my schoolwork and spending time with…friends." She said all this very quickly and breathlessly, although, James noted and was impressed by the fact that she looked at Snape the entire time. Snape, however, was not looking at her when he replied.

"Sorry, I just thought I'd….I get it."

"It's really not you," Lily said, earnestly. "It's—"

"It's ok." Snape replied curtly, and suddenly he was packing up his books. Lily looked shocked.

"Wait, Sev, where are you going?"

"I forgot, I promised to meet someone at eight."

"Meet…someone…who?"

"I do have other friends, you know," Snape said coldly.

"I never said you didn't…well…alright then, I'll see you later," Lily said guiltily. "I will see you later…won't I?"

"Sure Lily," Snape said robotically, hurrying out of the library without another glance. Lily watched him go. She then returned determinedly back to her work, her face scarlet.

James left the library five minutes later, lost in thought. He walked, headfirst, into Sirius Black.

"Kitchens, was it?" Sirius asked, eyebrows raised. He was looking suspiciously at James.

"How'd you know where I was?"

"Call it a best friend's intuition. So, what did Evans have to say to you?"

James sighed. He turned to return to the common room with his best friend.

"Nothing really…but get this. I just heard Snivellus ask her on a date to Hogsmeade."

For the first time in his life, Sirius Black was speechless. James saw his eyes widen in shock and disbelief, and his mouth open and close a few times, before he burst out laughing. James couldn't help but join in.

"Snive…llus…and…hic….Evans! hic….MERLIN that's hilarious!"

"I _know,_ right?"

"Wait, wait," Sirius backtracked. "What did she say?"

"No, of course. She made up some excuse about _concentrating on her schoolwork _I mean, please," James replied, still chuckling. "Like anyone would go out with that slimy git. " Sirius guffawed, but then his laughter subsided.

"James, c'mon, mate," Sirius said, sounding suddenly aggravated.

"Hmm?"

"You could like _any_ other witch in this entire school…there are so many that are less likely to give you lumbago. Why on earth would you start going after _Lily Evans?_" he spat her name as if he were saying "spattergroit".

James blinked.

"I don't like her, Sirius."

"You're starting to," Sirius replied immediately, albeit reluctantly. "I'm your best mate, I know you . It's a mystery to me _why, _though."

Silence.

"Well, can you blame me Pads? She's cute, smart, nice...and...I don't know, there's something about her."

Sirius scoffed.

"Mate, I don't see it, but it's your funeral. Why don't you just ask her out and be done with it?"

James didn't respond, unable to own up to the fact that so far, he hadn't been given one hint that Lily Evans liked him back.

Neither of them realized that Severus Snape, held back by tying his shoes, had heard their entire conversation.

* * *

><p>Alice was beaming and running towards him.<p>

"JAMES, Frank just met me in Hogsmeade, and HE JUST ASKED ME TO MARRY HIM! WE'RE GETTING MARRIED!"

James caught Alice before she could run him over and, despite his scrawny arms, managed to pick her up off her feet and spin her around, laughing his delight and congratulations. She squealed her own delight, showering his face with kisses. When he put her down gently, she beamed up at him, her entire face lighting as he had never seen it before; he thought he had never seen anyone looking prettier.

He glanced up for an instant to see Lily standing behind Alice, beaming her own delight at her friend's happiness behind her.

Well, James could be wrong, sometimes.

* * *

><p><em>Sirius Black watched Severus Snape watching Remus Lupin cross the yard to the Whomping Willow. And suddenly, inspiration, or was it madness? struck him, and he walked up to Snape, in a whisper asking if he wanted to know Remus' secret…<em>

_When James Potter found his best friend laughing, he expected to join in on the joke, but when he heard what Sirius had done, with only a look of contempt for his best friend, he ran after Severus Snape…if he saw Remus…all would be lost…_

_Dumbledore was there when he pushed Snape out panting, having narrowly escaped Remus' bite. He walked with Sirius and Snape up to Dumbledore's office in silence, not looking at either of the boys, unsure of whom, at that moment, he was repulsed by more…_

At breakfast the next day, Sirius Black came to sit down by his best friend.

"I'm sorry Remus," he began.

"Remus mumbled an "It's ok," without looking up.

"I'm sorry, James," Sirius continued.

James jumped up.

"YOU ALMOST KILLED TWO PEOPLE." He yelled, his hazel eyes flashing. Several people, including the entire Gryffindor table, were staring at him. Sirius Black, for the first time in anyone's living memory, looked close to tears.

"Why did you go after him?" Sirius asked pleadingly, whispering so only a few Gryffindors could make out his words. "I thought you hated him as well, and honestly mate, I didn't think about his death or anything, I just thought he deserved it, sneaking around, I didn't, I didn't…"

"JUST BECAUSE I HATE HIM DOESN'T MEAN I WANT THE GREASY HAIRED GIT TO BE KILLED BY—" James broke off, glancing first at Remus, then at his raptly listening audience, and then finally up at Dumbledore. "THE WHOMPING WILLOW, ALRIGHT?"

He stormed off.

* * *

><p>But really, it was too hard to be mad at Sirius Black forever, and in less than a week's time and after a long, late-night talk, the two boys were best friends once more and things in Hogwarts seemed normal once again. After cementing their friendship again, James and Sirius were eager to throw a low-key prank, which involved James collecting some plants from the greenhouse. As he made his way past the courtyard under his invisibility cloak, he heard a familiar voice…<p>

**A/N: Dialogue owned by JKR (for full scene, please reference ****The Deathly Hallows****, Ch: The Prince's Tale)**

"_What about Potter and his gang?" _Snape's voice.

"_What's Potter got to do with anything?" _James could recognize Lily's voice anywhere.

"_They sneak out at night. There's something weird about that Lupin. Where does he keep going?_

"_He's ill— they say he's ill…"_

"_Every month at the full moon?"_

"_I know your theory," _Lily said to Snape, sounding cold. James' heart was beating rapidly in his chest. "_Why do you care what they're doing at night?"_

"_I'm just trying to show you they're not as wonderful as everyone seems to think they are."_

Even in the evening light, James could see what Snape said had made Lily blush. His heart was pounding in his chest. They were walking away, their voices fading, but he still caught snippets of what Lily was saying.

" _You're being really ungrateful…I heard James Potter __saved__ you from whatever's inside the Whomping Willow…."_

James couldn't hear the rest, but somehow it didn't matter. Humming to himself and dancing a little, James entered the greenhouse.

* * *

><p>It was November, the Friday before the first Quidditch match of the season, Gryffindor against Slytherin. James, having already managed to turn his Porcupine into a pin cushion, was trying to deny the fact that he was feeling nervous about the upcoming match. The new Slytherin beaters looked like a pair of female trolls. He watched for a while as Sirius amused himself by harassing Peter, while Peter accidentally gave his porcupine the ability to breathe fire. Remus was struggling with the spell as well, although less abysmally.<p>

He turned to his notebook, doodling idly. He scratched out a dragon breathing fire, and then a porcupine. Rather pleased with both drawings, he continued drawing a pair of trolls, a beaters bat, a Quaffle, and then snitch. The snitch was giving him a few problems. He tried to carve the intricate drawings he had seen on the golden ball into his minute paper drawing. All he managed to do was create a flowery looking letter "L". He glanced around and found Lily towards the front of the class.

It appeared as if she had successfully transfigured her porcupine as well. She was scratching some notes onto her paper, a look of intense concentration on her face, her green eyes narrowed, her auburn hair falling effortlessly around her.

Glancing back down, James crossed off the minute snitch on his paper. James then drew another, larger snitch on his paper. Inside he carved an elegant looking L, followed by an elegant looking E…

The bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day.

Sirius was still busy making fun of Peter, so James scanned the crowd around him. As he made his way to the Great Hall, many people, particularly girls, accosted him.

"Good luck tomorrow James!" Jenna Abbott called out with a wave.

James ran his hands through his hair, messing it up even more, recalling the windswept look his favorite Quidditch player had when he dismounted his broom.

"I'll score one for you, Jenna!" he yelled back. Jenna, giggling, walked away towards the Hufflepuff dormitories.

"Go get 'em Potter!" a stout and rather tough-looking 7th year girl called out in an alto voice. He grinned his appreciation.

"Thanks, Miggelan!"

"A kiss for luck tomorrow, James," a particularly bold looking Gryffindor 6th year said, swooping down to kiss his cheek, her long black hair swinging. James remembered her as one of the girls from the train, and threw her a winning smile, his cheeks flaming.

He looked up just in time to see Lily Evans rolling her eyes as she walked into the entrance hall, looking rather cross.

His spirits soared.

* * *

><p>It was his 15th goal. Even if Slytherin managed to catch the snitch at that exact moment, Gryffindor would still win the match. With this thought in mind, James was doing a few loops to let out his ecstatic energy, to appreciative roars from the scarlet-and-gold clad supporters below, when he was quite suddenly hit in the stomach by a ferociously hit bludger.<p>

Barely holding onto his broom, gasping, James didn't even see the other bludger that rammed into the back of his head, and quite suddenly, he was falling...

He hit the ground with a sickening crunch and everything went black.

Seconds later, or so it seemed to James, he opened his eyes in the hospital wing. He reached for his glasses on the bedside table, and put them on. He blinked. His three best friends, paler than he had ever seen them, his Quidditch team, and what looked like the entirety of Gryffindor House, surrounded his bed.

"How do you feel, James?" his Quidditch captain asked.

"M'alright," he replied, groggily.

"HE LIVES!" Yelled Sirius, to the tumultuous cheering of the crowd around him. The hospital door banged open, and Madam Pomfrey, the young School Nurse stepped in.

"EVERYBODY OUT!" She shrieked. People hastened to the door, not before yelling congratulations to him, and the score from the game, 300-0, thanks to James' 15 goals, and the snitch. James, despite the broken bones in his arms and legs, felt he had never been happier in his entire life. To raise his spirits even higher, he saw a mane of red hair in the crowd headed for the door. Lily cared about him, did she?

"Hey, Evans, could you hold back a second?" James said softly (he really didn't have much energy left). He didn't know if she could hear him above the thundering crowd heading for the exit. It seemed she had, however, for she turned around and made her way to his bedside. He saw Sirius turn around as well, looking mutinous, but Remus dragging him off.

Madam Pomfrey glared at him.

"This is only one person, and I just want to talk to her for a minute," James said coaxingly.

She sighed. James sniffed defeat.

"Go on, Madam Pomfrey," he said, smiling winningly at her.

"I'm timing you," she replied, before stepping back into her office.

He turned to look at Lily, who looked anxious and rather awkward. They were the only two in the room.

"Are you alright, Potter? That was some fall you had back there….it looked awful. Everyone was terrified."

"I'm fine," he said. "Some win, huh? What'd _you_ think of the match?" he asked her, grinning rather cockily, still high from the news of their victory.

Lily rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"I expect you know already that you were brilliant," she said, grudgingly, playing with the Gryffindor scarf around her neck. James' smile broadened.

"Hey Evans, I wanted to ask you if you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend."

Lily's hands froze.

Seconds, or it could have been years, went by.

"I said, do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?" James repeated, trying to sound more confident that he felt at that moment, despite the 300-0 victory he had just secured for Gryffindor House.

"Um…as friends, you mean?" Lily asked, in a would-be casual voice.

James' heart was hammering.

"I think you know that I don't mean as friends," he replied over the sound of his own hammering heart. He wished it would stop thumping so loud, he could barely hear his own thoughts.

Another eternity, during which James' heart was in overdrive, went by, before Lily opened her mouth again.

"Um…wow. That's…er… thank you…but, I'm really sorry, I just…I'm behind on schoolwork, and I don't think I have time for…"

"For Hogsmeade visits?" James asked skeptically, and nonchalantly. Lily couldn't possibly know that his heart was hammering painfully, bile had risen in his throat, his neck was sweaty, and that his face felt on the verge of flaming.

"Well…" Lily said, somewhat abashed. "For dating."

"Oh," James replied. To hide his disappointment, James had to laugh.

"I thought that was just something you told Snivellus because you didn't want to date _him_, but alright," he said. Immediately he knew he had said the wrong thing. Lily's expression changed rapidly from one of embarrassment to one of astonishment to one of anger. Her green eyes were slits.

"_Excuse me?" _she squeaked.

His heart was still hammering loudly, and painfully. He wished it would stop.

"I said—"

"I heard what you said. How did you even know….you know what, it doesn't matter. For your information, James BIGHEAD Potter, I'd rather spend any Hogsmeade visit with Severus than _you_." She turned on her heel and slammed the door to the hospital wing behind her.

James' heart took its time quieting down. Only then was he left in silence.

* * *

><p>It was Monday afternoon, and Severus Snape was walking past James Potter in the hallway, immersed in a book, barely watching where he was going. James felt his blood boiling beneath his skin as soon as he saw him, Lily's words ringing in his ears. To make matters worse, James could clearly see, from its black cover and shady markings, that the book in his hands contained nothing but spells on the Dark Arts.<p>

"Sirius," James said.

"Hmm?"

"Snivellus."

Sirius turned around, and his face split into a grin.

"Look at that _grease_. Eack, Looks like someone needs a bath, don't you think, James?"

James didn't need further coaxing.

"_Scougrify!"_

People all around him were laughing as Severus Snape's greasy hair was covered in pink frothy bubbles that were oozing down his face.

"Well…at least he'll be cleaner now," he heard Marlene McKinnon saying, fairly, as Snape frantically tried to keep bubbles from his eyes, dropping his book. The laughter increased.

He heard Lily.

"Remus, we're Prefects, we have to stop—"

"Potter, _what_ do you think you are doing?" It was McGonagall. She waved her wand at Snape, and the bubbles vanished at once. Bright red, Snape hurried away from the scene, leaving his book behind. "Detention, my office, tomorrow night. I'm _ashamed_ of you, Potter."

James had the decency to look abashed, at least.

"I'd have stopped myself if Evans would have agreed to go out with me, Professor," James said, loudly and cheekily. Several girls in the watching crowd laughed, throwing glances of wonder, mirth, and even resentment at Lily Evans, who was standing next to Marlene. Lily didn't crack a smile.

"Sod off, Potter," she said, turning around and walking away. Marlene shrugged at James and shot him a smile before following her.

James was sure McGonagall'S lip twitched.

"Better luck next time then, Potter. I'll see you at seven in my office."

The thing is, when you get used to hexing one person, each consecutive hex and jinx, as James found out, became easier and was accompanied by less guilt than the last.

It was only natural, really, when he heard Bertram Aubrey call him "big-headed", and Sirius retorted that Aubrey probably had never seen a big head, that he should hex him so his head doubled in size.

Well, why should he stop at only hexing Snivellus?

He might as well hex Sirius' younger brother who sneered at them both, or Abraham Smith who sneered at Remus' shabby clothes, or Bertha Jorkins for teasing Peter (only he, Sirius, and Remus were allowed to do that) as well.

To be fair to himself, however, James saved his worst hexes and jinxes for Severus Snape, whom he had grown to steadily hate.

"James," Sirius would begin. He would spot Snape, perhaps in a crowded hallway, or more infuriatingly, eyeing Remus and Madam Pomfrey from afar as they headed towards the Whomping Willow.

They would both hex Snape at once, leaving him writhing on the floor more resembling a slug than a human. Often, if Peter Pettigrew was with them, his squeaking, delighted laughter, made them puff their chests out a little more than usual.

But the most interesting part of this story, dear readers, is how James Potter dealt with his rejection at the hands of Lily Evans.

James Potter had never dealt with rejection in his entire life, and he wasn't about to start now. He began to start asking Lily Evans at every opportunity. At first he thought he would be able to wear her down with his charm. Soon it became habit to ask out Lily Evans at every opportunity, although Remus called it obsession.

If he was honest with himself, each rejection hurt like another stab at a fresh wound that had not yet begin to heal.

He'd start at breakfast.

"Good morning Evans," he would say pleasantly, deepening his voice and running his hands through his hair.

Lily's civility was growing thin.

"What Potter?"

"Lovely day, isn't it?"

She'd stare at him suspiciously.

"I suppose."

"It'd be even lovelier if you agreed to go out with me."

No response.

James Potter would usually finish his classwork within the first half hour of the period, and spend the remaining time staring at Lily Evans or doodling her name on his paper while talking to, or hexing unsuspecting students with his best friend. Lily, who felt his stare, was becoming increasingly cross.

In Potions, Slughorn would walk by his cauldron and give it an approving nod.

"Although not quite the consistency Miss Evans achieved—"

"I'd perform infinitely better in Potions, Sir, if only Lily Evans would agree to go out with me," James would say smoothly. "You see, I'm love sick, and that effects Potions-making." Slughorn would laugh.

"Well, Miss Evans? What do you say to this love-sick fellow?"

"To be honest sir, I rather like being best at Potions, so I would have to say 'no,'" she would say cheekily, grinning at Slughorn and, as he was roaring with laughter, glaring at James. She became increasingly annoyed, and her answers became inceasingly cheeky, as Slughorn continued to ask her and Potter how their "romance" was blossoming.

In the hallway, he noticed with increasing satisfaction, that Severus Snape was growing furious with him and, in turn, cross with Lily Evans, whom he saw hanging around her old best friend less and less. Although, he really shouldn't have rejoiced about that fact because this seemed to make Lily Evans crosser than ever, and her rejections still less civil.

"Go out with me Evans?"

"Leave me alone, Potter."

"Go out with me Evans?"

"Go away, Potter."

"Want to go to Hogsmeade with me Evans?"

Through gritted teeth: "When hell freezes over Potter. When hell freezes over."

"Hey Evans, go out with me?"

"HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE GIRLS DORMITORY? What about the enchantment, oh forget it, OUT, OUT, OUT."

"It's not like you're in your knickers or something, you're fully clothed aren't yo—"

"OOUUUUUUUTTTT AND FOR THE FINAL TIMES, NO I WILL NOT GO OUT WITH YOU! AND BY THE WAY, I'M THROWING YOU IN DETENTION."

And in such a manner did James Potter's 5th year begin to fly by.

* * *

><p>A month before OWLs began, James, Sirius, and Peter finally succeeded in their Animagus transformation. In the Forbidden forest they transformed again and again, in front of a pale and sickly (the Full Moon was the next night), though impressed and extremely grateful looking Remus Lupin.<p>

"Did you say I'm a deer?" James said, when he turned himself back into human form. Remus shook his head.

"You've got prongs, James. You transform into a _stag_."

"Thank heavens," James replied cheekily, grinning. "Much more manly."

"Hey, how about that for a nickname?" Sirius said.

"What?"

"Prongs for a nickname?"

James thought about it.

"I like it!" he said finally. "I've always hated the name Jimmy, anyway, and this one can be just between us. What about your nickname, Sirius?" he asked.

"Maybe they should all match, somehow…like, start with the letter P?"

"Yeah," James agreed eagerly. "Transform again so we can see what we can come up with!"

In an instant, a black dog was before them. James petted the enormous dog, who, despite himself wagged his tail. Remus, Peter, and James all laughed.

"Shake," James said, holding out his hand. Obediently, Sirius held out his paw. The others guffawed.

"We could call him 'paw'," Peter suggested.

The great black dog growled and shook his head. James, who was still holding his paw, was struck with inspiration.

"Padfoot?" he asked, uncertainly. And now the dog bounded up and licked his cheek before chasing his tail in delight.

"Padfoot it is," Remus laughed.

"Why don't you change now, Peter?"

Peter did so immediately, and, to make his friends laugh, began chasing his tail just as Sirius had done.

"When he does that, it's not as cute as when I do it," Sirius said, back in human form. "I mean, his tail looks like a worm."

James and Sirius looked at each other.

"Wormtail!" they yelled.

"And how about Remus can be…wolfy is too obvious…hey, how about Moony?" James asked

"Loony Moony? Excellent," Sirius replied with a grin.

"This is awesome, mate. Man, I wonder what Lily would think if she saw my animagus form?"

The three boys surrounding him rolled their eyes.

"She'd report you to the authorities, crazy Prongs."

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><p>In lieu of their first successful night-time rendezvous as four non-humans in the Forbidden Forest, the four best friends were feeling rowdier, cockier, and more like they owned the world than ever before…can you really blame them?<p>

And then, at the end of their 5th year, the infamous scene took place...

**A/N: JKR's again- reference ****The Order of the Phoenix**** Ch: Snape's Worst Memory for full scene.**

"_You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter... Leave him alone."_

"_I will if you go out with me, Evans. Go on… go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again."_

"_I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid."_

"_What is it with her_?" James asked himself over and over again the following night. They had just finished taking their last exam, and James had thought, in lieu of this cheering event that Lily Evans would be more forgiving towards him, but he was very, very wrong. When she caught sight of him after their last exam ended, she glared at him with bloodshot, red eyes, and ground her teeth at him before stalking away. James glanced at Marlene for help, but she shrugged her shoulders, threw him an apologetic look, and followed her friend.

"Mate, please, for all our sakes, give her up." Sirius said. "Moony, back me up, here."

Remus sighed.

"Look Prongs," he began. "You're one of my best-friends, and you're a great guy, but you don't let Lily see the guy you really are; you only show her the prick you occasionally like to be."

James rolled over on his bed.

"I resent that."

"She's not going to like you, and agree to go out with you, until she sees the other side of you."

James thought for a while.

"I'll make her see it!" he said, triumphantly, and actually made to get up before Sirius shoved him back down onto the bed.

"That'll take at least a few months, you dolt. And besides, even if she starts thinking you're an okay guy, she's not gonna like you until you give her a taste of her own medicine, Prongs," Sirius said. Remus threw him a sharp, searching look, but didn't contradict him.

"Meaning?"

"Look, I know girls, Prongs. Girls go crazy and fall for you if you ignore them, and treat them, pretend if you have to, like you don't like them."

James stared at him for a long time, before finally, in a rather dead voice, replying.

"Really?"

"Yes. So, you're going to listen to me. You're not going to try to apologize to Lily Evans anymore. You are going to try to pretend she doesn't exist, especially to her face. You will avoid looking at her as much as possible. You will stop trying to win her over, or even talking to her at all more than necessary. It'll be as if you never liked her, or worse for her, as if you lost interest in her."

James stared at him blankly, and then turned to his other friend for help.

"Moony?"

Remus, who had been staring shrewdly at Sirius, turned his gaze to James.

"Well, to be honest, I think it'll work better than your approach thus far has worked, Prongs," he said finally, rather cautiously. James, stung, turned at last to Peter.

"Yeah, forget Lily Evans!" Wormtail squeaked, giving him a watery smile of encouragement.

Minutes went by in silence before James finally answered.

"Well…alright then. How about we start forgetting tonight, with a bottle of firewhisky?"

Sirius Black had always hated the substance but, for the sake of his best friend, he snuck into Hogsmeade to buy some Firewhisky. The four best friends celebrated the end of their fifth year by forgetting; James, his love-life, Remus, his shame, Sirius, his guilt, and Peter, his fear, if only for a little while.

**A/N: And that's a wrap! Comments? Suggestions? New chapter soon!**

**Cheers and Love,**

**Science and Food**


	5. James Potter's New Chocolate High

**AN: hello everyone! I am back!I'm feeling very happy today, and to channel some happiness, I thought I'd write! Hopefully it spreads some joy to you? OH, btw, we are officially in Lily's POV of Flipped! WOOHOO! Why is this a cause for celebration? Well, just because I'm way better at writing female characters thoughts (for obvious reasons). **

**Hopefully you guys can see where things are starting to seem...flipped in the story? Do let me know if it is too subtle for your tastes!**

* * *

><p><strong>Songs for the chapter:<strong>

**Panic!at the Disco- _There's a Good Reason These Tables are Numbered Honey, You Just Haven't Thought of It Yet_- **"_When did he get all confident?/ Haven't you heard that I'm the new cancer/ I've never looked better/and you can't stand it."_

**India Aerie - _Chocolate High_- **_"There is something about your love/that makes me just want to open up...I'm addicted to your chocolate high" _

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><p><span>Chapter 5: James Potter's New Chocolate High<span>

James Potter had officially, yes officially, gotten over his weird infatuation with Lily Evans. The proof? He had a new girlfriend.

When you hear that phrase, do you picture James' Potter's girlfriend? What image comes to mind?

Lily imagined a beautiful, petite, sporty girl with slick blond or brown hair, maybe sporting chic glasses that added an edge of intelligence to her beauty. A girl James Potter could easily fit his scrawny arm around, a girl with a wide smile who would laugh easily at his jokes, a girl who was just smart enough to appreciate James' intelligence without overpowering it with her own.

Lily tried to ignore the momentary twinge of disappointment she felt when she heard the news. _Disappointed James Potter has a girlfriend? No way. Well, _Lily reasoned with herself, _it's flattering when a boy tells you every day that you are the sunshine of his life. Aggravating? Yes. Annoying? Definitely. But a little heartening as well? I think so. _

She still felt rather uncomfortable and guilty every time she remembered her last shouting match with James Potter by the lake. She had abused James so abominably to his face: shouted _arrogant big-headed toe-rag _and a hundred other names at him that day after their OWLs, the last time she had spoken to him. _Well, _Lily thought, _I didn't say anything to him he didn't deserve. _But she remembered James' dejected face as she shut him down _again_, the way he had pleadingly called after her. Her stomach squirmed.

She casually asked Marlene who the mystery woman was, picturing a skinny, blond, giggly sort of harmlessly adorable Hufflepuff girl.

"Oh, that's the funny part," Marlene said with a laugh. "It's _Ada Johnson_."

Lily did a double take.

"_Adaledaie Johnson?" _she said in disbelief. "You're joking," she said. And then she winced.

_That was a little rude of me, _she thought. _But...__  
><em>

She tried to remember Adaledaie Johnson from when she had seen her in the prefect's compartment a few hours before.

She was tall, bigger than Lily, and fit, in a body-builder sort of way, with giant bulging arm muscles that Lily was secretly afraid of. She had velvety smooth chocolate skin, large eyes whose whites shown prominently in her face, and stringy, thick, afro-like hair, quite far from slick and blond. She had high cheekbones that make her face severe, and to complete the image, Lily had never seen her smile once in their three-year acquaintance. To put the icing on the cake, she was a year older than James Potter, Head Girl, the smartest-witch-in-her-year, seriously hard-working and ambitious, a stringent rule follower, and had an overwhelming type-A personality.

One more fact: she was a Slytherin.

And apparently _she_ was James Potter's girlfriend.

"You're joking Marlene," she said again.

"I couldn't believe it either! I mean I went over to his house this summer, you know for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement party his parents threw. Oh, on a side note, did you know Sirius is living with the Potters now? Apparently there was this big row at his house- his family is full of dark wizards and you-know-who supporters, you know, and he ran away."

"Oh no," Lily said, her eyes wide. She felt guiltier than ever; she had always hated Sirius for the way he treated Severus, but she hadn't even stopped to consider why he acted the way he did. "Poor thing!"

"Yeah," Marlene said. "Well, actually he seems a lot happier now living with the Potters, who adore him, so I think it is for the better." She said matter-of-factly while stretching her long limbs casually.

"Well, anyway, when I went to the Potters' I saw James and Ada slow dancing to a Celestina Warbek song, and all the adults were watching them and laughing and Sirius was teasing them, so I thought it was some sort of practical joke, but then…next I know, I walked in on them holding hands in the backyard, and then I saw him kiss her goodnight!"

"When was the party?" Lily asked, completely flummoxed.

"Two weeks ago. But the funny thing is, he's happier than I've ever seen him with her! He looks like he took an excess of love potion or something (I suppose that _is _possible)…I saw them snogging on the train and decided to be obnoxious and break in and ask 'are you two going out?' and they both glared at me, replied yes, and started snogging again."

"Oh Marlene," Lily said with a small smile. "You're an insensitive wart." Marlene laughed.

"Well I mean, I know Ada's had a crush on him for _ages_ but the two of them are just so _unlikely_, you know?"

"Ada's had a crush on him?" Lily asked, now feeling guilty.

"For years: probably one of the reasons she's always been rather short with you," Marlene said, throwing Lily a pointed look. Lily blushed.

"But…I mean…but she's so…well…she's a Slytherin!" _Hypocrite, _Lily thought to herself, but she couldn't stop herself from blurting it out.

Marlene raised an eyebrow, but before she could say anything, her compartment door banged open and in tumbled a couple snogging so heavily, it was hard to tell whose lips and hands were whose. Apparently they had been leaning so heavily against the door that they had stumbled straight past it. They tumbled onto the floor, the tall dark-haired male hoisting himself on scrawny arms over the dark girl underneath him, whose brown skin was dusted with a barely visible red blush.

"Well, nice of you to _drop in, _James Potter," Marlene said, her brown eyes twinkling.

"Hey Marly. I am so sorry, Ada, I didn't mean to...I just can't...you're like _chocolate,_" he said, pushing himself off the floor and helping the girl below him stand up, who was now blushing more than ever. "I can't help myself," he smiled. He carefully dusted her black robes for her, and adjusted the shiny "HG" badge she was wearing on the front.

Ada was looking up at James from under her long, curly lashes as he fussed over her, a sheepish smile gracing her features. Lily noticed for the first time that she was extremely pretty.

"Don't worry about it, my fault as well," she said easily, grabbing his hand before he could fuss over her further, and pinning it to his side. Lily blushed at the way she continued to stroke his hand.

Ada turned to look over at Marlene.

"Sorry, McKinnon," she said.

"Don't worry about it," Marlene laughed easily. "Oh, Johnson, you've met my friend Lily, right?"

Lily, whose vision had become strangely clouded by black and red since the couple has tumbled in, threw Marlene a murderous stare. Both James and Ada started, turning to glance at Lily who was sitting across from Marlene.

"Of course she has," Lily replied.

The smile was gone from Ada's face, which didn't look quite as pretty anymore. Beside her, James was looking down at Lily, stony-faced. He had grown considerably taller over the summer, towering over Ada beside him. He was still in muggle clothes, jeans and a white shirt with a golden phoenix emblazoned on the front that Lily had never seen before, and that he filled out considerably better than she would have ever expected.

An awkward silence ensued.

"I saw her in Prefects compartment before. Congratulations on becoming Head Girl Ada!" Lily said, ignoring James and trying not to melt into a red and white pool of embarrassment.

Ada cracked a smile, showing her startlingly white teeth.

"Thanks Lily! It was really unexpected."

"To you, maybe," James laughed, and Lily had to stop herself from starting. It was the fullest laugh she had heard from James in a long time. He looked sideways at Ada his eyes glowed with warmth and pure, unadulterated, happiness.

"Shut up," Ada said, her large brown eyes staring at him, a coy smile playing about her features. Then she seemed to come to her senses.

"And uh, sorry, again you guys," she said to Lily and Marlene, now tugging James' hand. "We'll see you around."

"See you, McKinnon," James said rather pointedly.

"Later." Marlene replied.

The door shut behind them.

"Well, _now_ I believe you," Lily said. Blood was still pounding in her ears.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Short, I know, but the next one will be longer! I just wanted to have a new take on James Potter's typical-girlfriend-before-he-and-Lily-get-together...**

**Thoughts? Comments? Reviews are like chocolate!**

**Love,**

**Science and Food**


	6. In Which Lily is Ignored

**A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed and read the last chapter! You all make me so happy, and I hope this one makes you guys happy as well =) **

**Songs: **

**Strawberry Swing **by Coldplay- _Now the sky could be blue, I don't mind…without you it's a waste of time._

**Till you come to me **by Spencer Day- _'Cuz I want you, I want you back again, I can't remember when you and I were one…_

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: In Which Lily is Ignored<strong>

So here's how it happened.

Mr. Potter had been having Mr. Johnson over at least every other night during the summer to work on new legislation the Wizengamont had to pass. Mrs. Potter, who had once treated Mrs. Johnson's brother Peter at the hospital, and who had become acquainted with the family, invited all of the Johnson's over for dinner. She became fast friends with Mrs. Johnson, leaving James to entertain their haughty, daughter Adaledaie practically every night for the next two months.

James Potter spent the first three weeks "entertaining Adaledaie" in his room by pulling out all his Chocolate frog cards and bashing all the Slytherin witches and wizards known to wizardkind he could find, beginning with Merwyn the Malicious. He then amused himself by insisting that Adaledaie had cheated her way into getting an O on her Divination exam, and kept asking her to see into his future. He shut down her favorite Quidditch team. He asked her about her favorite books, would read them by their next meeting, and would bash them for all they were worth. Adaledaie, who had secretly harbored a crush on James for years, became angrier and angrier. James, meanwhile, thoroughly enjoyed the way the pretty girl's face flushed red, the way her teeth ground behind her full lips, and the way her chest heaved as she yelled at him.

When he made her play Quidditch with him one day in his backyard she "accidentally" slammed into him, lost balance, and then ended up on the ground on top of him. James stared up at her, his arms gripping her hips tightly, his face red.

James began to act oddly civilized towards Adaledaie after that incident, but Adaledaie was sick of him. It was midsummer, and she was becoming extremely hot and bothered by his presence.

One day, she brought a book and spent a good four hours trying to ignore James Potter as he tried to talk to her; no mean feat as he kept pulling her book out of her hands and pulling her hair. He attempted to sit on her lap, whispered secrets in her ear, and then finally, three hours in, he shoved her book down and kissed her straight on the mouth.

Adaledaie slapped him.

The next day, James apologized, arriving at her doorstep with a bouquet of tulips (when had she told him they were her favorite flower?). He said he had only teased her because he liked to see her angry; he didn't hate her or anything. In fact, he really did like her, and admire how smart she was, and how hard working, and yes, even how ambitious she was…

She kissed him. He kissed her back.

And they lived happily ever after.

Or at least, that was the way Marlene had relayed the story _she _had heard straight from James Potter's mouth as she walked back with him after Quidditch practice.

"Thanks for all the gory details," Lily said, wincing.

"Hey, I was being _mild _compared to the gory details he gave _me."_

"Yeah, well, I'm happy for them," Lily said absentmindedly, turning back to the book in front of her, whose pages she hadn't turned in the last hour. "And maybe Ada will be able to stop him from being—"

The library exploded.

"You were saying?"

A foul stench permeated the air; books were scattered helter-skelter, and prominently, on Madam Pomfrey's desk, was written in ice-green, permanent ink:

**Welcome Back, From the Marauders! **

**Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs bid you good day and would like to advise that you enjoy the rest of your day, preferably not studying. Right, ho!**

"I really didn't want to learn more about Wendelin the Weird anyway," Marlene said, who always found ways to do anything but study. She tucked her brand new school supplies into her bag, pulled her slick blond hair into a pony tail, and looked at Lily.

"I think I'll go enjoy the summer day _outside_. Coming?"

Lily looked around at the few first and second years (why were they in the library already?) running towards the door, at the annoyed-looking seventh years and the relieved-looking fifth years who had lost their books and parchment somewhere in the library. She turned to look at the fuming Madam Pince, who was frantically looking for a spell to remove the ink from her desk. Lily shook her head, sighing.

"I should probably help them clean up," she said, rather virtuously.

"So who do you think did it?" Marlene asked conversationally. Marlene was heading towards the exit along with many excited fifth and sixth years. Despite herself, Lily followed.

"Aren't those the nicknames that—?"

Marlene walked out the door and straight into a laughing James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Lily felt her heart beat inexplicably faster as she watched James laughing, his head bent over, his teeth flashing, his hazel eyes sparkling. It took a surprising amount of willpower for Lily not to smile at him. Marlene, however, smiled and gave James a dainty high-five.

"Nice one!"

Lily rolled her eyes.

"It's nice for people who don't have to _clean up," _she said, pointedly. James didn't even look at her" he and Sirius continued to smile at each other. It was the third time in the past few days he had deliberately ignored her existence or any comments she had made, and despite herself, Lily was starting to get annoyed. Remus, however, smiled at her.

"Nah, we Prefects can let the teachers handle this one, I think." At Lily's blank look, he added, " A Catterwalling Charm sets off if anyone but a Professor tries to enter after leaving."

"Clever," Lily said dryly.

"Isn't it? That saves me a world of trouble," Ada called, walking towards them. James immediately stood up straighter.

"How's that for a harmless prank, A.J.?"

"Eh. Could have been worse," she said, stopping short and smiling at him. James smiled back elatedly, and with a great effort, it seemed, stopped himself from hooking an arm around her and kissing her. Lily was relieved; she didn't want to see them snogging ever again. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Alright you two, that's disgusting."

"A.J." looked startled.

"We didn't even do anything," Ada said.

"The way you look at each other," Sirius said, his lip curled in a grimace.

"You're just jealous James doesn't look at _you _that way," Ada said, laughing. Despite herself, Lily laughed along with Marlene and the boys, even though a tiny part of her brain whispered the word _ironic._

* * *

><p>Apparently, no proof had been left that four Gryffindor sixth years <em>had <em>been responsible, but that hadn't stopped McGonagall from throwing the lot in detention, at least for _talking back to a Professor, and unnecessary cheek._

A rather subdued Transfiguration lesson had passed the next morning. James Potter sat with his head bowed over his notes, and Sirius occasionally flashed white smiles at a fuming McGonagall.

And then, Peter Pettigrew's cauldron exploded in Potions.

Peter let out a yell as his potion swirled angry pink fumes that spelt words out in mid-air, the kindest of which was _dung breath. _

Professor Slughorn looked warily amused.

"I'm sure The Draught of the Living Death couldn't be transformed into a Swearing Potion without the addition of…ah yes, of course, Mr. Potter, I see the bat membrane and bowtruckle thorax under your cauldron there. Clever trick, my boy, very clever." He waved his wand, and the potion emptied.

"Sorry sir…I was just being a curious potioneer?"

Slughorn chuckled.

"I'm afraid you'll have to restart your potion Mr. Pettigrew, and in the meantime, Mr. Potter, curiosity is not a sin, but how about you sit in the front so I can observe any other inspirations that happen to float your way?"

James shrugged, and picked up his things. Lily glanced around- there were no empty seats near the front…

"Ah, Severus, why don't you switch with Potter in the back there? You're Draught looks most promising already."

Lily tried to remain impassive. _Show no emotion, show no emotion. _She had sat next to Severus out of habit and because she always sat in the front but this, this was too much…_Show no emotion. Be impassive. Be calm. And goodness sake's, stop being a drama queen Lily Evans._

"Are you alright, Evans? You look mildly like you're having a seizure," James Potter said casually over the clatter and chatter of the classroom as he worked on setting up his Potion over a fire.

Lily glared at him from the corner of her eye. Before she could stop herself, she spoke to him.

"So have you decided that you _aren't_ ignoring me?" What had compelled her to say _that?_

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw James raise an eyebrow. He began cutting into his shriveled bean with a knife.

"Ignoring you? Who said I was doing that?"

Lily pursed her lip in what she knew was a Petunia-like fashion.

"_I _did," she said obstinately, trying to cut into her own shriveled bean, which was giving her some difficulty.

"Well, that's a bit obstinate of you, since _I_ say that I'm _not _ignoring you." He ran a hand through his hair, and his knife slipped with the other. "And by the by, I thought you _wanted me _to ignore you." The back of his silver knife hit the bean which immediately squirted more juice that Lily imagined the little bean could hold.

"And since when did you listen to anything that _I _wanted, Potter?" Lily asked, annoyed that her tone sounded rather breathy and genuinely curious. She copied his trick with her silver knife, and her bean squirted juice which she scooped and dumped into her potion.

James was already stirring his Potion, his brow furrowed. He didn't respond, and Lily thought he looked angry.

"Look, Potter," Lily guiltily reached out and touched his elbow. James' elbow jerked immediately, and he stirred his potion in the wrong direction. It immediately turned the appropriate shade of lilac. James blinked at his Potion.

"And time!" Slughorn called. He began walking around the room, looking into people's Potions. He blinked in delighted surprise when he reached James and Lily's desk.

"This is remarkable, Potter! I'm very impressed- you are the clear winner of today's prize, Felix Felicis! Ms. Evans, you must be having a remarkable effect on Mr. Potter, let's make this seating arrangement permanent, shall we?"

James took his Felix with only a small smile, and began packing his things. The rest of the class filed out. As he headed for the door, James looked back at Lily.

"Thanks, Evans," he said with a small smile. Lily looked down so he wouldn't have to see her smile.

_Well, maybe that means he isn't ignoring me anymore, at least…_

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><p><strong>AN: And that's a wrap! What do you guys think of the pace/plot/characterization so far? Reviews= Love!**

**Lots of Love,**

**Science and Food**

!Science joke of the day: All the good science jokes Argon.


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